Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is become of none effect the condition thereunto required being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law That the condition required to justification being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law the promise it self of justification is made of none effect the Apostle shews in the next words Justification if it be by the Law cannot be properly called a Promise Gal. 3.18 yet he calls it so here materialiter as not knowing well how to call it otherwise in this his discourse Ver. 15. Because the Law worketh wrath i e. Because the Law is so far from making them acceptable to God which are of or under the Law that they may be justified by him and so receive the promise of justification which he promised to Abraham and his children as that it stirs up Gods anger against them The Law stirs up Gods anger against them that are under it not onely in that the Law calls for punishment against them which transgress it but also because it is an occasion to them which are under it to sin more and more and more grievously than otherwise they would do For I was a live without the Law once saith the Apostle but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7 9. And again ver 8. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence But now that this fell out thus by the Law the fault was not in the Law but in the vitiousness of those which were under it or to whom it was given See those places Rom. 7 For where there is no Law there is no transgression When he saith Where there is no Law there is no transgression he leaves us togather that where there is a Law there is transgression and that frequent transgression too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Transgression signifieth here not every sin which is committed by a Man but such a sin as he commits against a Law plainly given either by word of mouth or by hand-hand-writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Transgression being a sin committed against a Law plainly and distinctly given and that either by word of mouth or by hand writing is Caeteris paribus a more hainous and grievous sin than that which is committed against a Law which is not so given and redounds more to the dishonour of the Law-giver The Apostle by that which he saith here proves that which he said immediately before to wit that the Law worketh wrath For if where the Law is there are transgressions and there be no such sins as transgressions where the Law is not it is evident that the Law is the occasion thereof though not by its own fault yet by the fault of the man to whom it is given And therefore the Law worketh wrath in that it doth not only multiply sins occasionally but elevate those sins to an higher nature and makes them Transgressions as I shewed before Ver 16. Therefore it is of Faith Therefore the promise of Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is of faith that is is to be attained by faith There is no way of obtaining justification which is the promise which God made to Abraham and to his children but either by the Law or by faith Being therefore that the Apostle hath proved that it cannot be obtained by the Law he may well conclude that it is to be obtained by Faith which is that which he sayes when he sayes Therefore it is of Faith That it might be by grace If it had been by the Law it would not have been of Grace but of debt ver 4. To the end the promise might be sure i. e. To the end that the promise of justification which God made to Abraham and to his children or his seed might be sure Sure The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm He sayes that the Promise which he speaks off may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sure or firm in the regard of the condition required to the obtaining of it for the condition of it being of Faith is such as may be performed and so the promise obtained and sure whereas if it had been of the Law it would not have been so He opposeth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure or firm promise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the promise made of none effect verse 14. though not in words yet in sence To all the Seed By Seed he meaneth not the bodily seed or the children born of Abrahams body as he did ver 13. But he meaneth the spiritual seed or spiritual children of Abraham that is all such as believe the word of God as Abraham did and imitate his faith I say he means all such whether they be Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law Not to that only which is of the Law i e. Not to that only which are the children of the Law that is which are under the Law or to which the Law is given By this he means the Jews Note that this Phrase which is of the Law is the same for substance with that which we read ver 14. But yet there is this difference that there is meant by such as are of the Law such as being under the Law sought for justification by the Law Here are meant such as though they were under the Law yet sought not for justification by the Law but by Faith in Christ But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham i. e. But to that also which only believeth as Abraham did Supple though they are not of or under the Law or though they never had the Law given them as the Jews had By these he means the Gentiles Who is the Father of us all Who is the Father of us all which believe whether we be of the Law or not of the Law that is whether we be Jews or Gentiles He speaks not of Abraham neither doth he call him the Father of us all in the like sence here as he did ver 1. For there he spoke of him in the vulgar manner as he was the Father of all the Jews according to the flesh and called him the Father of all the Jews whether they did believe or no. Here he speaks of him as he was a Father in a Mysticall sence That is as he was the spiritual father of all which believed whether they were Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law V. 17. As it is written To wit Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations i. e. I will surely make thee a Father of many Nations A Praeterpersect tense is put here for a Future to shew the certainty of the Event of that of which he speaks of Those words as they lie in Genesis carry a double sence with them to wit a Literal or Historical sence and a Mystical or
consisteth in the free pardon and remission of his sins according to that which is written Rom. 4.7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Note that the Justification of an innocent and righteous man and the Justification of a Sinner which believeth agree both in this that they are both absolved and acquited from the accusation laid against them by Satan but they differ in this that one is acquited for his workes sake the other is acquited through the meer grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus Note also that though I have shewed how a righteous man which hath exactly kept the Law is justified I do not thereby affirm or hold that there is or hath been or ever will be any such man For by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 For if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Galat. 2 12. And all the world is become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 but I say onely that if we should suppose that there were any righteous man which had exactly kept the Law he would be justified after that manner which I have spoken of So when our Apostle said that the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 He did not say that there were any such doers of the Law as had so done the works of the Law as the Law in rigour exacts but he did only shew what they must do who would be justified by the Law they must not be onely hearers of the Law but doers also of the Law And when he said now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of debt Rom. 4.4 He said not that there was any which did work or had wrought that is he said not that any one did work or had wrought the work of the Law so exactly as the Law requireth which required a perfect observation thereof of a man throughout the whole course of his life but this he said that if we should suppose that there were any such man then the reward would not be reckoned to him of grace but of debt And after the same manner is he to be understood when he saith If it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work Rom 11.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Greek praeposition to the various acception of which we have neither in Latine nor in English one single praeposition which will fully answer It signifieth frequently when it is joyned with an Accusative case secundum that is according to as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel according to Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel according to Luke But it doth also when it is joyn'd with an accusative case signifie De that is of or concerning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. lib. 5. Lawes of or concerning excess And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.21 I speak as concer-cerning reproach And according to this acception of the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do I render those words of our Apostle Rom. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the purpose of God concerning Election may stand There is also a Rule which Grammarians give concerning an other use or acception of this praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you may find in H. Stephan's Thesaurus Vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 2. pag. 87. G. and it is this Interdum verbum substantivum cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habente accusativum ponitur tunc hae tres orationis partes Vnico verbo vel participio resolvi possunt as Thucidid lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differing After this manner doth our Apostle say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.8 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They which are according to the Flesh for carnal or they which are carnal And according to this Rule do I interpret those words of our Apostle Rom. 11.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a Remnant Elected Except you would interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per as it sometimes signifies and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per Dei electionem but I prefer the former LONG-SVFERING Long-suffering is attributed often to God and it is that by which God defers those punishments which are due to Sinners for their sins and punisheth them not according to their deserts so soon as they have sinned It is attributed to God twice in this Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans viz. cap. 2.4 and cap. 9.22 and it is there spoken of him by reason of those Jews which were contentious and obeyed not the truth of the Gospel but resisted it and oppugn'd it with all violence for how violently the Jews for a great part of them did resist and oppugn the Gospel Saint Luke tells us in many places of the Acts of the Apostles whom notwithstanding God is said to have indured with much long-suffering because he brought not any signal punishment upon them or rather because he did not cut them off in anger for that their unbelief and violent contention against the Gospel and cruel persecution of the Preachers and Professors thereof by which they made themselves the vessels of wrath Cap. 9.22 and for which he threatned them with indignation and wrath Cap. 2.8 For notwithstanding he was long-suffering towards them that that his long-suffering towards them might lead them to Repentance cap. 2 4. yet were they for the greatest part of them so far from being led to repentance thereby as that they did thereby harden their hearts And by their hardness and impenitent hearts treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath cap. 2.5 For which God was willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known upon them cap. 9.22 because they repented not but did heap up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath RIGHTEOVSNESSE This word Righteousness is taken sometimes for conformity with the Law of God But in this his Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul doth most frequently take it for justification It is sometimes joyned with the word Law as when it is said the Righteousness of the Law concerning which see the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SPIRIT Our Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans useth this word often viz. The Spirit and that after divers waies with the word Holyness joyned with it he takes it for God or the divine nature for when the Apostle saith according to the Spirit of Holiness Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.4 It is as if he should say as he was God or according to his divine nature concerning which see Beza in his notes upon that place Sometimes he takes Spirit for the Holy Ghost as Rom. 8.23 Sometimes by a Metonymie For the gifts of the Holy Ghost by which we are regenerated and enabled to work the works of
of the Old Testament say they say to them which are under the Law and they are Jews Whatsoever is spoken in the Law must be understood as spoken to them which are under the Law And nothing of all the Law that is of all the writings of the Old Testament must be excepted as not spoken of them but only such things as are openly and by name spoken of the Gentiles of which nature if any be yet all the Testimonies here cited are not But as for other Passages where there is not express mention of the Gentiles they must be understood of the Jews whether the Jews be named or no For what is more consonant to Reason than this That whatsoever the Law speaketh indefinitely it should speak to them which are under the Law though not all passages of all that are under the Law but some of some and others of others Yea where a passage in the Old Testament is spoken of the Gentiles plainly and in direct tearms it may concern the Jew and be spoken of him as well as of the Gentilâ— though not in the first or literal sence yet in the second or mystical And this they know which are skilled in the Scriptures We know i. e. We who are skilled in the Scriptures whether Jews or Gentiles we know or we i. e. We Jews even we know He speaks of this as of a thing confessed even among the Jews and so may it be because it is so consonant to reason as we have said and agreable to the custom of the Scriptures Whatsoever the Law saith The word Law here signifieth All the writings of the Old Testament and that it doth in relation to the Hebrew word Torah which as it signifies the Law so sometimes it signifies not the Law only precisely but any Doctrine in general Or because all other parts of the Old Testament are referred to the Law and depend on that in some wise or other the Law which is but a part but yet a Principal part is put by a Synechdoche for the whole Old Testament To them which are under the Law By the word Law here some understand all the writings of the Old Testament as the word is taken just before But others take the word more strictly here viz. for the Law which was given by Moses And therefore whatsoever the writings of the Old Testament speak they speak to them which are under the Law that is under the Law of Moses because all other the writings of the Old Testament do in some kind or other relate to that and depend upon it either by explaining it or inculcating it or the like As also because the other writings of the Old Testament were given to the same people to whom the Law was given they being also the Oracles of God Which are under the Law They are said to be under the Law in this place which of the two ways soever we take the Law here to whom the Law was given For to whom the Law was given to them it was as a Schoolmaster to teach them and direct them and Schollars are said to be under their School-masters and School-masters over their Schollars By those which are under the Law are meant the Jews for to them and them only was the Law given Rom. 9.4 Psal 146.19 And the Law was our Schoolmaster saith our Apostle Galat. 3.24 That every mouth may be stopped q. d Wherefore no man can glory of his Righteousness nor excuse himself from being unrighteous before God being so convicted of sin as that he is compelled to stand mute before Gods Tribunall as having nothing to say in defence of himself The mouth of man is then said to be stopped when all excuse is taken away from him and all occasion of glorying in his own righteousness before God so that he hath not a word to say for himself Note that the Particle That is not a sign of the cause here but a note of an Illation or inference and what is here inferred is not inferred from what went immediately before but from that which went some distance before to wit from those Testimonies cited in this chapter which shewed that the Jews had sinned as well as the Gentiles yea rather from all which the Apostle had said concerning this matter from the beginning of this Epistle hitherto And all the world may become guilty before God i. e. And all the men of the world whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles having nothing to say for themselves are become apparently guilty of condemnation before God the Judge of all The World is taken here by a Synecdoche for the men of the world all which are guilty of condemnation before God till they are justified by faith in Christ Ver. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight i e. Therefore shall no man be justified in the sight of God by the works of the Law that he hath done or for that that he hath kept the Law as he ought to do The deeds of the Law are to be taken here for the performance of what the law commands or for the deeds of the Law as they are performed by us and not simply for deeds injoyned by the Law q. d No man shall be justified by the deeds of the Law which he hath done c. And therefore no man can be justified by the deeds of the Law which he hath done because no man hath strictly kept what the Law commands and the least breach of the Law makes a man guily of damnati The word Law is taken here for the Moral Law which was given by Moses which was the same with the Law of Nature but written in a fairer character by Moses whereas it was blurd and waxen dim and much defaced by sâ—n in the hearts of Men. This is as it were an Epiphonema of all the former discourse for this is the scope of all that hath been said from Chap. 1. ver 18. hitherto to wit to shew that righteousness is not to be expected by the Law No flesh That is no Man for flesh is put here by a Synecdoche very common with the Hebrews for Man so it is put Matth. 24. ver 22. In his sight i e. In the Sight of God It may be that some are justified by the deeds of the Law which they have done in the sight or judgement of Man and that he judgeth that they have exactly kept the Law yet no man shall be justified by the deeds of the Law in the sight or judgement of God for Man beholds onely the outward face of things and that at sometimes only but God pierceth deeper and searcheth the heart and the reins and spies out all mens doings be they never so secret and that at all times And in the heart and in secret such things are done which the eye of Man cannot see For by the Law is the knowledge of Sin i. e For by
made partakers of it which hope doth even now joy and rejoice our hearts 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience 3. And not only so but least that any should say surely God is not at peace with us nor can we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God because we are afflicted and suffer more tribulations than any kind of men in the world besides which may seem not to stand with the peace and friendship of God and not to be incident to the Heirs of eternal glory we glory and rejoyce in tribulations also knowing that tribulation though it works impatience in men of the world yet it works patience in us 4. And patience experience and experience hope 4. And patience worketh Experience in us of those gratious gifts and vertues which God out of his love hath given us by the Holy Ghost and experience of these gratious gifts and vertues worketh hope in us of eternal glory 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 5. And this hope which is wrought in us by this experience will not fail us and prove a vain hope so as that we shall be ashamed at the last for missing of what we hope for For the sense and feeling of the love of God who will make all them which he thus loveth partakers of Glory and life everlasting is shed abroad in our hearts in a plentifull measure by those gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto us which gifts are not only signs and tokens of his love to us but pledges also and earnests of eternal Glory 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. I said that being we are justified by faith the wrath of God is appeased towards us and that God is at peace with us for our Lord Christ Jesus sake And that we rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God ver 1 2. all which I now prove for when we had no strength to do any good but were as yet ungodly and so sinners Christ in due time died for us 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. And this sheweth the exceeding love of God towards us in that Christ dyed for us while we yet had no strength to do good but were as yet ungodly and sinners for scarcely for a righteous man will one dy yet perhaps for a man that hath been good to him some will even endure to dy 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in this that while we were yet sinners and ungodly and so enemies to him Christ through his appointment died for us 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And now if when we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then shall we being justified from our sins by his blood be saved from the wrath to come through him 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if when we were enemies to him as we were when we were sinners we were reconciled by the death of his Son which cost him his deerest blood to reconcile us Much more then being now reconciled shall we be saved from the wrath of God by him when it may be done without the loss of his life 11 And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 11. And we shall not only be saved from the wrath to come but we shall also be advanced to and stated in everlasting glory by reason of which we do through the faith and hope which we have thereof joy even now in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have already received the Atonement or Reconciliation and divers gracious effects and fruits thereof that is to say divers gifts of the holy Ghost which are as seals and pledges to us of that everlasting glory which we speak off 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have through him peace with God and hope of everlasting glory c. Though we have lost much by Adam yet we have gained far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that is for that all men have been made sinners by that one Man 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law 13. But here I must leave my Speech imperfect which I will take up and perfect ver 18. to answer an Objection For because I said that all have sinned some men will say That that cannot be for they which lived between Adam and Moses sinned not For say they between Adam and Moses there was no law given either by word of mouth as there was given to Adam Gen. 7.2 17. Or by writing as was given by Moses Exod. 20. And as you taught Paul Chap. 4. ver 15. Where there is no such law there is no transgression how therefore can they which lived between Adam and Moses be said to be sinners or to have sinned which had no law given them either by word of mouth or by hand writing But to this I answer That being that at that time there was no law publickly given by word of mouth as that was which was given to Adam or given in outward writing as that was which was afterwards given by Moses there was not indeed any Transgression in that time but yet it doth not follow that though there was no Transgression in that time there was no sin for though every Transgression be a sin yet it doth not follow that every sin is a Transgression I say therefore that though there was no Law given by word of mouth or by writing from Adam until the law was given by Moses yet sin was all the while in the world though indeed sin was not imputed to any as a Transgression all that time 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 14. Yet nevertheless that you may know that sin was in the world from the days of Adam to the time that the law was given death
they be Gentiles Now because the same or another Jew might reply upon this and say Yea but for all thy saying Paul though I should grant that that promise doth not belong to us Jewes as we are the Children of Jacob or of Abraham according to the Flesh as Such yet surely it doth appertain to us as we seek justification by the works of the Law and we are or shall be justified by so doing To this objection the Apostle answers verse 10 11 12 13. to this effect No neither shall ye be justified for this neither which may be proved by that which God said unto Rebecca while she had two Twins Esau and Jacob the heads of two People in her womb For at that time when the Children were not yet born before they had done either good or evil he said unto her The Elder shall serve the Younger and this God said to her at that time to signifie in a type that his purpose concerning his actual Electing men to Justification which Election is performed in time by justifying them was and should be to elect or justifie them not for their workes sake for which no man can be justified and if he could he might claim justification of debt but for his own Mercy and Grace sake who calleth us by the preaching of his Gospel that we may believe and believing may be justified and hath appointed that to be our way for Justification But because a Jew would be apt to say that if it were so as St. Paul had said Viz. That God would not justifie a Jew though he were a Jew by birth and though he did moreover seek justification by works if he believed not and yet would justifie every one which believeth though he were a Gentile Then there would be unrighteousness with God Saint Paul takes away this objection shewing first That there is no unrighteousness with God in justifying those which believe though they be Gentiles for he may justly have mercy on whom he will have mercy ver 15. And by the by ver 16 he shews them who being ignorant of Gods way of Righteousness or Justification went about to establish a way of their own that it was not in them who chose a way of Righteousness or Justification of their own though they were zealous in that way and run earnestly in it to attain to Justification but it was onely in God who sheweth mercy to whom he will and to what way he will Then as he had shewed that there was no unrighteousness in God if he did justifie those which did believe though they were Gentiles He shewes verse 17. by the Example which God shewed upon Pharaoh that there is no unrighteousness in God if he did not justifie a Jew though he were a Jew by birth and sought Justification by works if he believed not And concludeth verse 18. That God doth justly justifie whom he will and doth justly deny justification to whom he will yea and harden them too And now being that God doth every where complain of the Jewes and threatneth to destroy them for the hardness of their heart A malepart Jew starts up and hearing Paul say that God hardeneth whom he will Sayes But if God hardeneth whom he will why doth he now find fault with us and threatneth us for our hardness of heart For it is he that hardneth whom he will and if he will harden us how can we help it are we able to resist him To this objectian made verse 19. Saint Paul answers first by rebuking the Objector for his Sauciness who dares to chop Logick thus with God verse 20 21. Then verse 22 23. he gives a more direct answer by which he shews that God did harden them onely occasionally in that he did not cut them off but did endure them with much long-suffering by which those vessels of wrath that is they which were contentious and obeyed not the truth but obeyed unrighteousness fitted themselves for destruction for though by his long-suffering God led them to repentance yet they by the abuse thereof contracted hardness and an impoenitent hearts upon themselves heaping up wrath against the day of wrath and Revelation of the Righteous judgement of God and therefore there was no unrighteousness in God if he being willing to shew his wrath upon those vessels of wrath if they would not repent he found fault with them when they repented not And if by so doing he shewed the abundance of his goodness also to the vessels of mercy by justifying them and so preparing them to glory as he had before determined Which vessels of mercy he shews verse 24. to be them which believe not of the Jswes onely but of the Gentiles also Then to confirm what he had said concerning those disobedient Jews and the believing Gentiles he brings divers testimonies out of the Scriptures verses 25 26 27 28 29. And then he gathers out of what he had said that the believing Gentiles had attained to Justification by their Faith ver 30. But the Jewes for the greatest part of them missed of Justification because they sought it not by Faith but by the works of the Law And so having made way to that which he left imperfect at the sixth verse of this Chapter CHAP. X. In the tenth Chapter he sheweth what that was which he said in the beginning of the ninth did grieve him for the Jews which was this that they being ignorant of Gods way of Righteousness and going about to establish their own way of Righteousness submitted not themselves unto that way of Righteousness which God had appointed verse 3. but he ushereth it in Verse 1 2. with other words then he used in the beginning of the ninth Chapter Then verse 4. he sheweth why they submitted not themselves to that way of Righteousness or Justification which God had appointed The reason was because they were offended at Christ who was the end of the Law for Righteousness Then he shews that the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith are not all one Verse 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Then from verse 14 to the end he sheweth that the Gospel ought to be preached to the Gentiles and was preached to them and they received it gladly But though it was preached to the Jewes yet they refused it and would have none of it Wherefore because some might doubt concerning the perversness of the Jewes whether God had not or would not cast them off wholly for this their perverseness CHAP. XI The Apostle in the eleventh Chapter moves the question whether God had cast off his people the Jews or no And answers it in the negative verse 1. And to prove that he had not cast them all off he shews that he was a Jew and yet was accepted of God And that the Jews were a people whom God did foreknow that is whom God did determine from eternity so to love as not utterly to forsake them verse 2. and
both those places it is taken for Justification It is also used Rom. 2.26 Where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Romans 8.4 where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both which places our Interpreters render it The righteousness of the Law Now we may have various notions concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those places according to the various acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law If we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law there for the Moral Law in particular then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the precepts or commands of that Law which he may call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and collectivè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that they are holy and just and good as he speaks Rom. 7.12 But if we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there for the whole Law which was given by Moses and as it contains the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law together Then must we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partitivè as Grammarians speak that is to signifie one part of that Law to wit the moral part that is the Moral Law onely And it is observed that the Seventy Interpreters whom Saint Paul followeth use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most part for those precepts or commands which are of things good in their own Nature and therefore not alterable at any time and such as are imprinted in the heart of man as the Moral Law was whereas they take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those Laws or Precepts which are of positive constitution and therefore alterable as the Ceremonial and Judicial Law were ELECTION Election Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word which Saint Paul useth in the ninth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans verse 11. and I take it there for Justification And the sense of those words Viz. That the purpose of God according to Election might stand c. for I conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be translated rather concerning Election then according to Election I take to be this Viz. That the purpose of God concerning Justification might stand c. For I take this Election to be an Act of God performed or done in time upon men in Real Being And that this Election is immediate to justification and that this Election to justification is made by Gods free and gracious putting the man Elected into the estate of justification that is by Actual justifying him It is true that there is an Election or decree of Election which God made before the foundation of the World or from eternity For he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. saith our Apostle Eph. cap. 1. ver 4. But yet there is an Election which God doth make in time yet in order to or in execution of some eternal purpose or decree of his or other For God doth nothing in time but what he purposed to do from eternity For thus we read Isaiah 14.1 The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel And Zechar. 1.17 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My Cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Sion and shall yet choose Hierusalem And Zechar. 2.12 The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion and choose Jerusalem again All which words being in the Future tense shew that there is an Election which God makes of things or persons in time But to come neerer to our present purpose There is an Eelection of God which followeth calling For Many are called but few are chosen saith our Saviour Matth. 22.14 And ye see your calling Brethren that is ye see the event of your calling how that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath he chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought the things which are 1 Cor. 1. Verses 26 27 c. Now as the Election in those places is an Election of God in time so do I conceive the Election to be of which we speak of to wit that Rom. 9.11 And this Election I take to be not immediately to eternal glory or glorification but to justification For Election is a word which signifies only the act of electing But the Author of the Election and the things or person elected and that to which they are elected are to be gathered from the circumstances of the place And from the circumstances of the place I gather that this Election is immediately not to glory or glorification but to justification For justification hath been in a manner the onely Subject of the doctrinal part of the Apostles discourse hitherto And of justification doth he speak in this Chapter and he concludes therewith and therewith doth he begin and prosecute the Chapter following And that the Election which the Apostle here speaks of viz. Rom. 9.11 is immediately to the same thing to which that Election is which he spoke of in the eleventh Chapter of this Epistle and the fifth verse I think no man doth so much as doubt But that that Election cannot be understood of an Election immediately to eternal glory but of an Election immediately to justification may be easily and apparently gathered from that place and the context thereof for the Apostle calling that Election an Election of grace adds this verse 6. And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more Grace otherwise work is no more work Where he shews that that thing to which that Election is immediately is so due to works as that there is no grace or favour at all requisite to his obteining of it who hath works that is who hath so fulfilled the Law as that he never brake it in the least particle or jot thereof at any time For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4.4 And if it be of works then it is no more of Grace otherwise work were not work Saith our Apostle thence Rom. 11.6 But now a man may say cannot eternal glory be due as a reward to works That is cannot it be due to a man if he hath kept the Law so exactly as the Law requireth and so as that he never broke the Law at any time in the least particle of it as suppose Adam would have done if he had continued in his innocency I answer No For though we should suppose a man to have kept the Law so exactly as the Law requires and never to have broke it in the least tittle thereof yet would not eternal Glory be due to him for it of debt For
Righteousness and by which we are enclined to Holiness and Righteousnese as Rom. 8.13 Where it is said that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live after which manner the gifts of the Holy Ghost are called the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Where he saith the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us In this sense of the word Spirit the Spirit is most frequently opposed to the Flesh as Rom. 8. Galat. 5. c. Sometimes our Apostle takes the Spirit for the Gospel and then he opposeth it to the Letter that is to the Law as Rom. 2.29 and 7.6 which also he doth 2 Corinth 3.6 And sometimes again he takes it for the soul of man as Rom. 8.10 where the Spirit is opposed to the Body WORLD The world as it is most properly taken is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Philosopher defines it Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 2. that is The World is a Cistern or Fabrike consisting of heaven and earth and those Nature which are therein conteined In this sense our Apostle takes the word World Rom. 1.20 and 16.25 He takes the world sometimes also for all the men of the world whether good or bad as Rom. 3.6 19. Sometimes he takes it for the wicked men of the world or men adicted to the profits pleasures and vanities of the world as Rom. 12.2 Sometimes he takes it for the Gentiles in general as Rom. 11.12 15. Sometimes he takes it for the whole habitable earth as Rom. 10.18 Sometimes he takes it for the Land of Canaan which was but a little part of the world yea a little part of the whole earth as Rom. 4.13 And marvel not that our Apostle should take the world for the Land of Canaan when the Prophet Isaiah takes the earth yea the world for the Land of Israel which was but part of the Land of Canaan Isaiah 24 4. And here by the way observe that as Joshua was a Type of Jesus Christ so was the Land of Canaan into which he brought the Israelites a Type of all and every part of that blessedness into which Jesus Christ hath and will bring us WORKS WORKETH Our Apostle doth often make mention of Works in this his Epistle while he treats of Justification as Rom. 3.23 Where is boasting then It is excluded by what Law of works Nay and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to glory and verse 4. Now to him that worketh i. e. to him which hath works is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt and verse 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works and Rom. 11.6 If it be of works then it is no more of grace and Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law In all which places and the like he takes works for works exactly done according to the Law so that the doer of them did never through the whole course of his life break the Law either in thought word or deed either by commission or by omission or by any other way in the least tittle or point thereof which works if we should suppose that any one had so done he would be justified by his works and that of debt for otherwise if God should not justifie him with Reverence be it spoken he would be unjust as I have said before Whereas therefore it is said that Abraham was not justified by works and that no man is justified by the deeds or works of the Law and that the purpose of God should stand not of works c. It is not so to be understood as that either Abraham or any other had such works and yet were not or should not be justified by them But it is so to be understood as that neither Abraham nor any other ever had hath or will have any such works And therefore as many as are justified are justified without them or though they have them not And for this reason it is that no man is said to be justified by the works which he doth or hath done or shall do I may add or can do because no man doth keep hath kept will keep or can keep the Law so strictly and exactly as the Law requireth so as that he hath not doth not or will not break it at any time For our Apostle to prove that no man is justified by the works of the Law proves that every man hath sinned Rom. Chap. 1.2 3. And therefore because every man hath sinned no man hath works in that sense which he speaketh of For if a man hath sinned but never so little he hath not works as our Apostle takes works in the places first named For cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them In the voice of the Law Galat. 3.10 and Deut. 27.26 Our Apostle denies plainly that Abraham was justified by works Rom. 14. verse 1 2. And yet Saint James saith that he was when he saith Was not Abraham our Father justified by works James 2.21 what then shall we say that Saint Paul and Saint James thwarted or contradicted one the other God forbid For they were both led by the same Spirit even the Spirit of Truth and therefore could not erre or contradict one the other They take works therefore in several senses one after one sense the other after another Saint Paul speaks of works exactly done according to the command of the Law from the very birth or infancy of a man which works Abraham had not But Saint James speaks of such works as Abraham had and therefore not of works which Abraham did in the first part of his Age who no doubt in the first part of his Age was an Idolater Saint Paul speaks of works which Abraham should have done if he had been justified by works before his Call Saint James speaketh of works which he did after his Call Saint Paul speaks of works done without faith for he opposeth such works as he speaks of to faith and faith to works Rom. 3.27 28. And it is his scope to prove the necessity of faith because no man had done or could do such works but Saint James speaketh of works proceeding from faith yea Saint James takes works by a Metonymie for faith it self And therefore doth he so do that he may shew against such as are contented with an empty and barren faith that justifying faith is an operative faith and fruitful of good works To the works which Saint Paul speaks of justification is due of debt otherwise those works would not be works in his sense Rom. 11.6 and 4.4 But to the works which Saint James speaks of if we should suppose they were requisite to justification justification
would be due not of debt but of grace But they are not requisite to justification for they follow it But yet they are requisite to Eternal Salvation For If we live after the flesh we shall die but if through the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the flesh we shall live Rom. 8.13 But yet though the works which Saint Paul speaks of do require a most exact conformity with the Law throughout a mans whole life without the least interruption or deviation from the Law otherwise a man cannot be justified by them yet may a man be saved though after his justification by faith when the works which Saint James speaks of do begin there be some failer in those his works and they do not exactly answer the rigour of the Law To these words which I have treated of might be added the Explication of other words but because they will be found sufficiently explained as I hope in their places in these ensuing Commentaries I add no more But as the Explication of these words afore explained is convenient for the better understanding of divers passages of this Epistle so would the explication of those Figures of Speech which Saint Paul useth be for the Vulgar who are unacquainted with them But because I have been more large upon these elsewhere viz. in the Preface of my aforenamed Book I shall be the briefer here and only give the description of those following to wit Metaschematismus Prosopopoeia Synechdoche with some examples of each METASCHEMATISMVS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaschematismus is a Figure by which a man speaks of that as done by himself and in his own person which was done or acted by others in their persons An evident example of this we have 1 Cor. 4 6. where Saint Paul when he had spoken of some things which were done by others as if they had been done by himself and by Apollos saith And these things Brethren I have in a Figure transferred to my self and to Apollos for your sakes c. This same Figure doth Saint Paul also use Rom. 7. verse 7. c. where he saith I had not known sin but by the Law and so forward For from that place to the end of the Chapter he acts in his own person a Jew or rather the whole people of the Jews among whom were divers of divers dispositions as they lived both before and under the Law and transfers their manners and doings to himself And that it may not seem uncouth for one man to act the part of a whole people and that in several estates in his own single Person That Polite Historian L. Florus considered the people of Rome in their several ages and estates as one single Man For Siquis populum Romanum quasi hominem consideret totamque ejus aetatem percenseat ut coeperit atque adoleverit ut quasi ad inventae florem pervenerit ut postea velut Consenuerit quaâ—â—or gradus processusque ejus inveniet saith he in the Proaeme of his History i. e. If any one shall consider the people of Rome as it were a man and throughly consider its whole age how it began how it grew up to its stripling and how it came to its more manly age and how afterwards it did as it were wax old he shall find as it were four degrees or proceedings thereof c. But that I may take occasion here to speak more fully of those whom Saint Paul personates from the seventh Verse of the seventh Chapter to the Romans to the end thereof I conceive that the Apostle doth from those words of the seventh Verse of that Chapter viz. Nay I had not known sin but by the Law c. and so forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he speaks not in his own peroson but in the person of others that is that he personates here the people of Israel that is the Jews which lived both before the Law and under the Law which was given by Moses and so personates them as if they were but one single Man and yet not all the Jews neither but the greatest part of them and these considered not as they might have been for surely they might have been better if they had put out themselves to the utmost and used their utmost endeavours to have been better but as they were And they were for the most part of them a carnal untoward stubborn and rebellious people and a people of the worst Natures I said first that the Apostle doth not as I conceive speak here in his own person nor yet in the person of a regenerate man for reasons which I gave in my Commentaries on those words Ver. 14. But I am carnal sold under sin Secondly I said that the Apostle doth speak here in the person of the People of Israel or of the Jews for it is most evident that in the former part of the Chapter he spoke of the Jews and they are they who he said were delivered from the Law wherein they were held that they should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter verse 6. And from that that the Apostle said that they had lived in the oldness of the Letter is the ground of that Objection which is made in the seventh verse viz. What shall we say then is the Law sin which Objection the Apostle could not better or more aptly answer than by shewing what kind of people the Jews were both as they lived before and under the Law and thereby clear the Law of sin And therefore doth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or take upon him their person Thirdly I said that he doth not here personate all the Jews and therefore I said it because all the Jews were not such as he speaks of here to wit carnal and sold under sin and such as in whom sin wrought all manner of concupiscence for it is written of Zachary and Elizabeth his Wife that they were both righteous before God walking in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless Luke 1.6 Of David it is said that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Kings 15.5 And of Asa that his heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes ibid. ver 14. The like we read of others which lived under the Law And what shall we say of Isaiah Jeremy and other Prophets of the Lord what of those worthy Jews which the Apostle commendeth Heb. 11. shall we say that they were carnal sold under sin and that they were forges of all manner of concupiscence where doth ever the Scripture speak such things of such men These and all such as these were were not carnal but spiritual and though they lived under the Law that is under the obligation of the Law yet were they not under the imperfection of
only occasionally For the Apostle is wont by occasion of other matters which he affirmeth and would prove to slip as it were to his main purpose so he doth Gal. 2.16 And in other places as well as here As it is written To wit Habakkuk 2.4 The Just shall live by Faith i. e. The Just-man shall be justified not by his works though he be called just but by Faith Or thus he that shall be justified shall be justified by Faith The Apostle proveth here by the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk that the Righteousnesse of God is by Faith But note that these words as they lie in the Prophet as many words and passages in the old Testament do carry a twofold sence with them A Literal and a mysticall In their literal sence they relate to the Jewes which were in Captivitie to the Babilonians In their mystical sence they relate to men as they are under sin and guilty of the punishments due to sin to wit death c. And therefore have these words this double relation because the things thereby signified are One the Type of the Other the former of the latter The Captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of death the Devil For it is very well known that the Captivity of the Jews under the Babilonians was a Type of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of Death the Devil And that the messages and good news which God sent by his Prophets of the delivery of the Jewes out of the Babylonian Captivity was a Type of the Gospel and good newes of Mans salvation out of his spirituall captivity which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and that Cyrus whom God had used as an Instrument to deliver the Jews from the Babylonians was a Type of Christ by whom Man is delivered from Sin and Death and the Devil And when one of these is prophesied of in the Letter the other is prophesied of in the Mysterie Yea and while things of this nature are thus prophesied of the Holy Ghost doth oftentimes so order and guide the Penman of his Prophesies that some passages will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in word agree aswell to the one as to the other aswel to the Type as to the Antitype of which this parcell of Scripture written by the Prophet Habakkuk is one According to the literal sence therefore these words as they lie in the Prophet Habakkuk may be thus expounded They which are just among the Babilonian Captives though they are under them from whom they may fear death through hard usage yea to be put to death by reason of their power being Conquerors yet if they believe the message and good newes of their deliverance by Cyrus out of their captivity which I shall send them by my Prophets They shall be delivered from their Captivity and shall not die under the hands of the Babylonians but live and live a joyfull life According to the Mystical sence which is the sence in which our Apostle takes the words here we may interpret these words thus The Just which believe the Gospel shall be justified from their sins by their Faith The Just According to the frequent use of Holy Scripture he is called a just or Righteous Man who is a man of a good and honest mind and desireth to walk uprightly though he slips yea falls often such a man as this is is ready to receive the message of God whensoever it pleaseth God to send it and doth verily believe it when it is sent Again if we look into the place of Habakkuk beforementioned to wit Habakkuk 2.4 we shall find that our just Man there is opposed to him whose soul is lifted up that is to a proud man and so may be taken for the humble minded man such an one as trusteth not in himself nor boasteth of his own worth And who is more likely to be a Believer than He for Pride is the greatest keeper out of Faith as can be For how can ye believe which seek honour one of another saith our Saviour to the Jewes John 5.24 But besides this the Just may be taken for him which it justified and so may it be taken here when we expound the words in the mystical sence q. d. He that shall be justi ed shall be justified by his Faith Shall live This is as if he should say in our Saviours words He shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 5.24 That is he shall be justified that is he shall be absolved of his sins he shall not be condemned for them though he hath deserved death by them A man that is arraigned and tried for his life upon some Criminal or Capital matter If he be condemned he is put to death but if he be justified or absolved he liveth To live therefore may be put here Per Metonymiam Consequentis for to be justified That which Saint Paul drives at and for which he produceth the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk is as I said to prove that righteousness is of faith or which is the same that he that believeth is accepted of God and freed from sin and death which is the penalty of sin not for his works sake but for his faith And to expresse this freedom the Scripture calls it sometimes by the name of Salvation and Redemption which are words borrowed from Captives which are saved or redeemed whereas by their condition they were as men appointed unto death Sometimes again and that is the tearm most frequently used in this Epistle by the name of Justification which is a name or word borrowed from men as I said immediately before accused of some Capital matter in a Court of Justice where the Person accused is acquitted or absolved of the crimes laid against him and so justified by the Judge and freed from the Censure of the Law viz. Death The words of the Prophet Habakkuk as they are here alledged by our Apostle may in their Mystical sence be interpreted either in allusion to the Salvation or Redemption of Captives or in allusion to the Acquitting Absolving or Justification of a man accused in a Court of Justice of some Capital crime And after which of these ways the Reader will interpret them I leave to his choice for the issue of both is Life By faith i. e By reason of his faith or if he believe the Gospel For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men The Apostle prevented an objection here For whereas he said that the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel from faith And again it is written The just shall live by faith signifying thereby that the way of obtaining Justification is by faith A man may object and say But why Paul dost thou say that the way of obtaining justification is by faith
signifie that which is commanded or appointed and ordered by any ordinance Constitution and Decree yea it may signifie any Ordinance Statute Constitution or Decree it self and being that our Duty to our Neighbour is commanded and appointed and ordered by the Ordnance Statute Constitution or Decree of God The Ordinance Statute Constitution or Decree of God concerning that may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place Again there are certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Common notions and principles concerning the duty of Man towards his Neighbour which are easie to be known and are universally known among all Nations These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Common notions and principles because they are easie to be known and are so universally known among all Nations he may call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and collectivè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is those things which are easie to be known and are universally known deriving the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifieth to know If we look upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its own nature whether we take it for that which is known or whether we take it for a Law or Statute it may extend farther than to those things which concern our Neighbour but by a Synecdoche integri or Generis it may be restrained to those things only which concern him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law though in its own nature it comprehends whatsoever God commanded yet it is restrained sometimes to the duties of the second Table As Rom. 13.8 Galat. 5.14 Of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take this Genitive case here to be not Genitivus objecti or subjecti but efficientis and to signifie that God was or is not the object either totall or partial of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Author and Commander thereof and Imprinter thereof in the hearts of men Is manifest in them i. e. Is manifest in their hearts and in their consciences See Chap. 2. ver 14 15. For God hath shewed it unto them God shewed it unto them by that Light of Nature which he set up in their breasts or by imprinting it in their hearts Whereas the Apostle had taught in the foregoing verse that all men had sinned he goes about here to make that his Assertion good both of Jews and Gentiles by a Partition and he makes it good as concerning the Gentiles in this Chapter and as concerning the Jews in the two next Chapters following And though this is a main intent of his yet he slippes to it as if it were a thing accidentall or by the bie Ver. 20. For the invisible things of him c. For may be taken here for And Otherwise between this the former verse understand these or the like words And even the Gentiles have the truth of godliness too as well as they have of righteousness q. d. And even the Gentiles have the truth of godliness too as well as they have of Righteousness For the invisible things of him that is of God from the creation of the World are clearly seen c. The Apostle answers here the second part of the Objection which I mentioned ver 19. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen i. e. For the Invisible things of him are and have been clearly seen from the very time that God first created the world By the Invisible things of God are here meant the Eternall Power and God-head of God as the Apostle explaineth himself And these are called the invisible things of God because they are not to be seen by bodily eyes and as they are in themselves though they may be seen by the understanding and gathered from the works which God hath made From the Creation of the World This is that which he saith in other tearmes Heb. 4.3 from the Foundation of the World That is from the time that the World was first created and the foundations thereof laid Are clearly seen i. e. Are and have been clearly seen and understood by the eye of Reason which is the eye of the Soul The verb here is of the Present tense but includeth the Praeterfect tense also by a Syllepsis Note here that the Hebrews love to expresse both the outward and inward Perceptions and apprehensions of the Soul by the name of Seeing Being understood by the things that are made Here he sheweth how the invisible things of God are clearly seen or understood They are seen or understood by the things that are made for as the Psalmist speaks The heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work c. Psal 19. ver 1.2 c. Read Wisdom Chap 13. which may serve as a Commentary upon this Place Even his eternal Power and Godhead By Power here understand the Power of strength as I may call it not the Power of Rule and Dominion For that is included in the next words God-head The Power that is the Strength and Ability of him who made the world and preserveth it in its being and must heeds be exceeding great and surpassing the power of All but of him who is God For who is able to make so huge a Fabrique as the world is and the variety of Natures therein contained and to preserve them in their Being ever since they were made but he who is of himself of a vast Power yea a Power infinite And who is of such a Power but God only When therefore we consider the huge Fabrique of the world and the preservation thereof in its Being We cannot but conclude from thence that he which made it was of a vast Power yea a Power infinite And whereas there is no such Power competible to any but to God we conclude from thence that he that made the world was a God and that this God sheweth himself to be of exceeding Power by the world which he made and preserveth Yea because he so preserveth the world and sustaineth it as that there is no decay therein if we look not to the Individua but to the Species therein contained and nothing to hinder the Perpetuity thereof but his own Will we may infer from that also That this Power of God shall have no end and therefore is Eternal The first thing that offers it self to our Understanding when we contemplate the world and the variety of Natures therein contained is the Power of him that made them And from the Power of him that made the world and all the things therein contained we come to gather the God-head of him that made them all or this that he is God Because the Power of him which made the world is such as that it is competible to no other than to God And hence it is that the Power of God is here put before his God-head Though his God-head be in Nature as we weak men use to speak before his Power if at least the
of the first Chapter and are an Illation from thence yet have they some reflection upon that latter part of the first Chapter also which mentioneth and setteth forth the sins of the Gentiles For whereas the Apostle did there reckon up many sins of the Gentiles and shewed that they were by the judgement of God worthy of death We must conceive that the Jew hearing this did approve the Sentence of God and proudly condemn the Gentiles as worthy of death for these their sins whereupon the Apostle taketh an occasion to condemn the Jew out of his own mouth seeing that he held the truth in unrighteousness as well as the Gentile and did the same things as the Gentiles did whom he condemned Thou art inexcusable i. e. Thou canst not be excused nor defended from being worthy of the same death as the Gentile is worthy of O Man That is O thou Jew For he turnes his speech here to the Jew that he might shew him in particular that he hath held the truth of God in unrighteousness as well as the Gentiles according to what he said Chap. 1. ver 18. Whosoever thou art that judgest i. e. Whosoever thou art which judgest the Gentile to be worthy of death because of the sins which he hath committed The Apostle supposeth here that the Jews had judged the Gentiles to be worthy of death by reason of their sins And this supposition was not avain supposition For the Jews were a censorious People ready upon all occasions to condemn the Gentiles and to justifie themselves Wherein thou judgest another c. i. e. With the same judgement or with the same sentence with which thou condemnest the Gentile and judgest him worthy of death thou condemnest thy self and judgest thy self Wherein i. e. Wherewith or by which Supple judgement Note that the Praeposition In according to the Hebrew manner may be taken for with or by Thou judgest The Apostle speaks not here of Publique judgement whereby a Publique Judge doth by his Authority condemn a Malefactor that is brought before him But of private censure and judgement whereby a Private man taketh upon him to censure or judge another Another By this other understand the Gentile For thou that judgest doest the same things i. e. Thou which judgest the Gentile to be worthy of death for his sins doest the same things and committest the same sins thy self for which thou judgest and condemnest the Gentile He that condemneth a man and judgeth him worthy of death for committing such or such a sin if he himself hath committed the like he condemns himself though not in words yet in deeds by condemning him Doest the same things These words are not so precisely to be understood as though the Apostles meaning were that every Jew which judged a Gentile worthy of death for his sins were alwayes guilty of the same special sins for which he did condemn the Jew though it fell out oftentimes even so to be But the words are generally to be understood As if he should say For thou which judgest another worthy of death for such and such sins Thou thy self doest the same though not in Specie yet in Genere and committest sins of as hainous a nature as those are of which he committeth He that condemneth a man for Adultery though he himself hath not committed Adultery yet if he hath committed Murther or a sin which deserveth as great a punishment as Adultery doth he condemneth himself and judgeth himself to be as worthy of punishment as he which commited Adultery Ver. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand that the Jew hearing the Apostle say that he to wit the Jew condemned himself in that wherein he judged the Gentile because he did the same things grew hot and angry with the Apostle for that the Apostle made no difference between a Gentile and him which was a Jew and broke out into these or the like words But what if I condemn the Gentile for doing those unseemly things which you reckoned up must I therefore condemn my self Is there no difference between a Gentile and me A Gentile he is of an unclean Stock he is blind and ignorant and uncircumcised by nature but I am a Jew by Birth and therefore one of that holy People which the Lord the God chose to be a special People to himself Deut. 7.6 And I am skilled in the Laws and Statutes which God gave to us but not to the Gentiles Psalm 147.19 And I am circumcised with that circumcision which is a token of the Covenant made between God and the Children of Abraham Gen. 17.11 I may therefore condemn a Gentile and yet not condemn my self though I had committed the same things which the Gentile had And to this Obiection of the Jew doth the Apostle here answer q. d. Thou O Jew art partial in passing thy Sentence For though thou condemnest the Gentile for the sins which he committeth yet thou wilt not give judgment against thy self though thou thy self doest the same things which the Gentile doth But yet we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against all them which commit such things And therefore it is as well against thee who art a Jew and art instructed in the Law and art circumcised as it is against a Gentile Note here that it is the Apostles usual manner of teaching to teach by answering tacite Objections and Questions The chief Scope of the Apostle in the first part of this his Epistle is to shew That Justification is not by the works of the Moral Law Yet because the Jew thought that he might be justified though he had not observed the Moral Law by being a Jew that is by being a Child of Abraham Matth. 3.9 And by the knowledge and skill that he had in the Law And by his circumcision the Apostle doth by the bie as he hath occasion confute this conceit also That he might shew that a man is justified by Faith onely We are sure i. e. We who have the Spirt of the Lord or we who have the true knowledge of Gods word and the right understanding thereof we are sure According to truth i. e. According to the true doings of men without any respect to their persons And therefore this that thou art a Jew and instructed in the Law and Circumcised shall profit thee nothing if thou hast sinned Ver. 3. And thinkest thou this O Man c. q. d. But tell me seriously O thou Jew which judgest the Gentiles worthy of death which do such things and doest the same thy self doest thou think in thy conscience that thou shalt escape the judgement of God only because thou art a Jew and art circumcised and learned in the law Such things i. e. Such sins as are mentioned from Chap. 1. ver 29. to the end of that chapter Shalt
judged to be the better interpretation of the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is When respect is had in judgement not to the deeds and actions of a man which only should be scanned there but to other things as Beauty Honour Parentage Riches and the like which have nothing to do or have no Relation to the things which are to be judged But it may be objected here that God will reward the Jew which worketh good before the Gentile which worketh good and therefore God is a Respecter of Persons in judgement Answ Caeteris Paribus Or if other things are alike in both God will indeed give the prerogative of order to the Jew before he will to the Gentile But not when the Gentile excelleth the Jew But to give the praerogative of order for a mans stock or parentage sake is not against justice nor liable to that which is called respect of persons much less when God had before promised such a favour to the children of Abraham For in those things which are of meer favour there is not respect of persons and in all things whatsoever there must an order be observed Ver. 12 As many as have sinned without the Law shall perish also without the Law By the Law is here meant the Law which is so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the written Law which was given by Moses And the meaning of these words is this that as many as have not received the Law which was given by Moses as it was by him given and yet have sinned shall perish or be damned though they do not perish or are damned by that Law of Moses to wit if they do not repent nor lay hold of Christ and his Gospel Without the Law i. e. Having not received that written Law which was given by Moses By these he understands the Gentiles Shall also perish without the Law i. e. That is shall also be damned though they be not damned or condemned by the written Law of Moses If you ask by what Law then they shall be damned or condemned for none shall be damned or condemned but for sin and there is no sin but is against a Law I answer They shall be damned or condemned by the Law of Nature which was written in their hearts As many as have sinned in the Law i. e. As many as have sinned having received the Law to wit the written Law of Moses and are under that By these he meaneth the Jews Shall be judged by the Law i. e. Shall be judged by that Law whether they have sinned or no and being found sinners by that shall be by that condemned to wit if they lay not hold of Christ and repent Ver. 13. For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God i. e. For they which are not Doers but Hearers only of the Law they are not such as shall be justified or acquitted in judgement before God We must understand here the word Onely And by Hearers we may understand not any ordinary Hearers onely but such also as have been diligent in hearing the Law read and expounded and have so far profited thereby as that they rest therein and know Gods will and approve the things that are excellent and are able to be instructors and Teachers of others and are such as we read of Verse 17 18 19 20. And by being just before God is meant being justified as the next Sentence sheweth Note that the Jews who sought for justification by the Law were so conceited of their diligent hearing of the Law and the knowledge which they got by hearing as that they thought themselves so highly beloved of God for that alone as that God would not by reason of that condemn them or cast them off though they broke the Law The Apostle therefore to take away this vain conceit of theirs Add to prevent any Objection which they might raise against that which he had said saith That not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified The Doers of the Law shall be justified By the Doers of the Law are meant such as so do the Law as the Law requires that is such as so do the Law as that they never fall or fail at any time in performing whatsoever the Law commands for he that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them is so far from being accounted just or from being justified by the Law as that he is cursed Galath 3.10 Deut 27.26 Note That the Apostle doth not affirm here or say that there are any such as have so perfectly observed the Law or have been such Doers thereof as the Law requireth But he doth onely teach what is required to legall Justification and what they must do who would be justified by the Law They must not be bare Hearers of the Law as the Jews would have it but exact doers of it Shall be justified i. e. Shall not come into condemnation but shall be acquitted in judgement and freed from punishment Ver. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law i. e. When the Gentiles which have not the written Law of Moses nor ever had it c. By the Law understand here the written Law of Moses Note That these words relate not to that which went immediately before but to those words of the twelfth verse As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law After which words we must understand these or the like to wit Yet you must not think that the Gentiles were altogether without a Law As if he should say As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law yet you must not think that the Gentiles are altogether without a Law for when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves For The Apostle doth here either prevent or answer an objection which might rise from these words ver 12. As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law For a man when he heareth this may say If they were without a Law how could they sin for sin is the deviation from a Law and if they have not sinned how can they justly be punished or condemned To which the Apostle answers in effect thus Though I said speaking of the Gentiles that As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law yet yee must not think that the Gentiles were altogether without a Law for when the Gentilss which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these though they have not the Law yet are as a Law unto themselves Do by nature the things contained in the Law i. e. Do by the light of nature such things as are contained in the moral Law of Moses and are prescribed or commanded to
Law they see their actions swerving Nor can they excuse them except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by agreable to which Rule they find their actions Therefore these thoughts of men accusing or excusing them shew that the Gentiles have a Law written in their hearts and so that they are as a Law unto themselves Ver. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of Man i. e. In that day when God shall judge even the secrets of men These words relate to the twelfth verse by an Hyperbaton so that whatsoever cometh between is to be read with a Parenthesis The Day or Time here mentioned is the Day or Time of the General Judgment God is said to judge the secrets of men in this day not because he will not judge those works which are open and manifest But because he will not judge them only but also the very secret counsels and deeds of men But the Apostle mentioneth here only secrets to shew that this judgment shall be different from the judgment of men who can judge only those things which are apparent and to signifie that they which commit sin though never so secretly shall not escape judgment According to my G spel i. e. According to my preaching or according to that which I teach and preach to all people For in preaching the Gospel I preach that God will judge the world by Jesus Christ The Gospel is to be taken here for the preaching of the Gospel by a Metonymie as it is taken 1 Cor. 9.14 in the latter word Gospel 2 Cor. 8.18 Gal. 2.7 and Phil. 4.15 He calls it his Gospel as it was ministred or preached by him He mentioneth his preaching of the Gospel here because it could not be known by natural reason that the world was to be judged by Jesus Christ As also because God commanded the Apostles to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he to wit Jesus Christ which was ordained of God to judge the Quick and the Dead Acts. 10.42 V. 17. Behold thou art called a Jew In that tacite Objection which the Jew is to be understood to make between the first and second verse of this Chapter and which the Apostle answereth in the second verse c. The Jew relyed upon many Praerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have and of which he boasted As ex gra that he was a Jew by Nature and so a Child of Abraham And that he was learned in the Law of God Circumcised c. for which he thought he was so far in the favour of God as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins as the Gentile should which vain conceits and thoughts of his the Apostle confuted before at verse the second c. Now here from this place to the end of the Chapter the Apostle sheweth that the Jew was so far from being in the favour of God so as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins by reason of those Priviledges and Excellencies which he relyed upon and which he boasted of as that being his life was vitious those Prerogatives and Excellencies should make his sins the greater and so tend to his greater judgment and condemnation For where men have the greater inducements and cause or means to be pious and holy if they are not pious and holy according to those inducements and cause or means there their sin is the greater and their condemnation or judgment the heavier Behold By this word the Apostle rouseth up the careless Jew who through the vain conceits of the Prerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have snorted in his sins to consider and behold his sins and the judgments due unto him for them Thou art called a Jew The Children of Abraham were commonly called Israelites from Jacob the Grandchild of Abraham who was also named Israel untill the Ten Tribes were carried away Captive into Assyria and their Common-wealth destroyed But after that the Kingdom of Judah remaining of which the Tribe of Benjamin was a part they were called Judaei that is Jews from the chiefest Tribe of that Kingdom which was the Tribe of Judah Thou art called a Jew A Jew was descended from Abraham of which descent he was very proud and thought it enough for him to say I have Abraham for my Father Mat. 3.9 Upon this account that they have Abraham for their â—ather the Jewish Doctors doubt not to reckon that all Israel is to have a share in the world to come Talmud in Sanhedr per. 10. 1. And Justin Martyr saith of the Jewish Rabbius that they suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. That the everlasting Kingdom shall be surely given to those that are of the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh although they are sinners and disobedient to God Note that the Apostle saith not Behold thou art a Jew but behold thou art called a Jew And this he saith either in allusion to that that they were very well pleased and delighted to be called Jews Or because they were Jews rather in name than in truth as will appear v 28 29. where he confutes this vain glorying of the Jew because he is a Jew And restest in the Law i. e. And moreover thou takest delight in the Law of God as in that which is most perfect and than which there can be nothing perfecter Or putting the Law per Metonymiam Subjecti for the reading of the Law thus Thou restest in the reading of the Law and desirest to read or know nothing else When we attain to the top of our desires so that we can go no further or desire nothing more of any thing especially the thing not affording it then do we rest in that which we have attained to and delight our selves in it And makest thy boast of God To wit that God is thy God and that he hath made a Covenant with thee and promised to be thy God Gen. 17. And hath given thee his Law and his Statutes Psal 147.19 V. 18 And knowest his will Supple Though thou doest it not And approvest the things which are more excellent That is and thou by examination having found out what those things are which are most excellent in the sight of God thou likest them and approvest them That is thou praisest them and assentest to them as such though thou doest not practice them That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Approvest may signifie both examining and approving or liking upon examination wherefore here I interpret it liking or approving or assenting to or praising after examination Being instructed out of the Law i e. As being instructed out of the Law from a Child whereby thou knowest the will of God and whereby thou art able to examine and judge of those things which are most excellent He sheweth the cause here or the means by which he a Jew came to know the will of
God and to be able to judge of those things which are most excellent in Gods sight Ver. 19 And art confident that thou thy self art a guid of the blind i. e. And boastest that thou art such a guid as that thou canst lead those that are blind and bring them into the right way And art confident i. e. And boastest Note that Confidence is put sometimes for Boasting by a Metonymie because boasting proceedeth of confidence so 2 Cor. 10 7. If any one trust to himself or is confident of himself that he is Christs is put for If any one boasteth that he is Christs and trust or confidence is put for glorying 2 Cor. 3.4 A Guide That is a Teacher A Metaphor from a Guide in the way Of the Blind i. e. Of the ignorant By the Blind are here meant literally such as want their bodily sight but by a metaphor the Ignorant And the ignorance of God and of his Will is every where in Scripture called blindness by a metaphor as John 9. ver 39 40 41. Matth. 15.14 and 23. ver 16 17 19 24 26. where our Saviour reproveth the blindness that is the ignorance of the Pharises By the blind or ignorant he meaneth the Gentiles particularly yet he may mean also some of the more ignorant parts of the common people of the Jews for the Apostle seemeth to speak here chiefly of the Scribes and Pharises who were puffed up with a great opinion of their own wisdome and knowledge in the Law Though the meanest of the Jews also thought himself able enough to teach a Gentile A light of them which are in darkness This is a Repetition of what he said before Light is taken here for one that giveth light by a metonymy to wit the light of Knowledge Ver. 20. An instructer of the foolish By the Foolish he meaneth those that are altogether without true Wisdom and Knowledge A teacher of Babes i. e. A Teacher of those which have no knowledge for of such is the name of Babes used by a metaphor 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 5.13 This is also a Repetition of what he said before where note that the Apostle doth repeat the same things and use an heap of the like expressions here the more to set out the boasting of these men whereby they boasted of their knowledge Which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law i. e. Because thou art such a one as hast the forme of Knowledge c. He sets down the cause here of their aforesaid confidence and boasting they were therefore confident and did therefore boast as they did because they had the form of Knowledge and of the Truth in the Law What we know we know by the Species or Images of the things known which are printed in our minds These Images or Species or the congeries thereof orderly placed or marshalled are called here the form of Knowledge and of the Truth By which he signifies that whatsoever is written in the Law the Jew said that he had the Image of it exactly and orderly imprinted in his mind by which he presently knew the things themselves Or by the form of Knowledge he may mean the true Method of teaching knowledge where by every particular which is to be known is put in due forme place and order which helps the memory both of the Master and of the Scholler Of knowledge and of the truth in the Law Knowledge and Truth here signifie one and the same thing to wit the Knowledge and Doctrine of those things which appertain to Religion and Godliness which things are contained in the Law and which God would have us know Some think that there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figure so called in these words Of knowledge and of the Truth And that of Knowledge and of the Truth are put for Knowledge of the Truth or of the true Knowledge In the Law i. e. Of the Law for In may be a note of the Object here or matter of Knowledge Or In may be taken here for By and so In the Law may be interpreted by the Law that is by the benefit of the Law It may also be taken as it is usually taken and the Truth may be taken for the truth of things contained in the Law Note that these Prerogatives and gifts or endowments which the Apostle hath from ver 17. hitherto ascribed to the Jews may be ascribed unto them out of the opinion which they had of themselves not that they were so as he describes them to be indeed for see what our Saviour saith of such men Matthew 23.16 Ver. 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self The Apostle doth here shew that the Knowledge which the Jew boasted of was so far from excusing him from sin and exempting him from judgement as that it made his sin the greater and so his judgement the more grievous These men taught others in that they gave them Orall Precepts what they should do but they taught not themselves because they did not practise themselves what they gave in praecept to others Note that the Apostle useth Interrogatoies here the more to shew the indignity of these mens doings Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal The Apostle doth not bring proofs of these particulars of which he here accuseth the Jews Neither need he so well known at that time were these things which he accuseth them of Ver. 22. Thou that abhorrâ—st Idols doest thou commit sacriledge St. Hierom observeth That the Jews after the Babylonish Captivity never worshipped Idols at least publiquely as they did before that time and so doth the Targum Hierosolomytanum report of those Jews which returned out of the Captivity to their own Land and lived there But as for those which were dispersed among the Gentiles they were not free from Idolatry as appeareth 1 Peter 4.3 Doest thou commit sacriledge Sacriledge is a sin by which an holy thing is violated And it is committed when that which is holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of an holy Place or when that which is not holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of a Place that is holy or when that which is holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of a Place which is not holy The Sacriledge here imputed to the Jews is likely to have consisted in that That some did defraud the Priests and Levites of their Tithes and such things as were due unto them by the Law and others did take those things which were Dedicated to the use of the Temple and convert them to their own private use It may be asked here why Saint Paul said Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge whereas he said before thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal thou that saist a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery For are Idolatry and Sacriledge the same things Answ Idolatry is a spiritual kind of Sacriledge for it takes
away from God the honour which is holy to him Therefore might the Apostle say Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge As if he should say Thou that abhorrest Sacriledge in one kind doest thou commit it in another Again the reason why the Jews abhorred Idols was because Idols were injurious to the Glory and Majesty of God and as Idolatry is injurious to Gods Glory and Majesty so is Sacriledge too Read Malach. 1. When therefore the Apostle saith Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge It is as if he should say Thou that abhorrest Idols because they are injurious to the Glory and Majesty of God doest thou commit Sacriledge which is injurious to the same Glory and Majesty Ver. 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law i. e. Thou that makest thy boast that God hath given thee his Law and so honoured thee above the Gentiles Psalm 147.19 Or thou that makest thy boast of the knowledge which thou hast in the Law c. It was no contemptible Priviledge which God gave to the Jew above the Gentile in giving him the Law Read Deut. 4. v. 6 8. and Psalm 147. v. 19 20 Therefore no wonder that the Jew boasteth of it and of his knowledge therein By breaking the Law dishonourest thou God i. e. Doest thou break the Law which thou boastest of and so dishonourest God the giver of it q. d. Doest thou turn that in which thou gloriest to the dishonour of him which is the Author thereof and should receive Glory thereby As God is honoured by our obedience to his Law So is he dishonoured by the disobedience which is thereto offered For the breach of a Law turns to the contumelie and reproach of the Law-maker And it makes unbelievers to speak ill of him who giveth the Law when they to whom he gave it thus break it For they think that either he did delight in or connive at wickedness and forbid it only in a kind of formality or that he did not see it or that he was not able to punish it if he saw it and the like The Apostle after that he hath instanced in some particular sins of the Jews contrary to their Doctrine and Profession whereby they were made more liable to judgment than otherwise they would be wraps up the rest in this General Thou that makest thy boast of the Law by breaking of the Law dishonourest thou God Ver. 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you i. e. For God is evil spoken of among the Gentiles and ye are the cause that he is evil spoken of Blasphemy is commonly taken in the Scripture and in Ecclesiastical writers for evil speaking of or against God And they which profess God to be their God do make the Heathen which know not God to speak evil of God or against God when they sin contrary to the commandment of God For the Heathen when they see them sin and commit those things which are evil they say that that God whom they worship doth either delight in evil or sees not nor can see their evil deeds or if he doth see them and take notice of them yet he is not able to punish them or is willing to connive at them all which are evil speakings of God As it iâ— writtten To wit Isaiah 52.5 My Name continually every day is blasphemed and according to the reading of the Septuagint there is added amongst the Gentilâ—s How these words are applied by the Apostle to his present purpose may be asked Most Interpreters think that they are applied only by Accommodation which is when words are only used for the present purpose without any relation to the matter which is handled in that place from whence the words are taken As if the Apostle should say Through breaking the Law dishonoâ—rest thou God For what is written by the Prophet Isaiah Chap 52.5 may be said of you viz. The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you But yet the Apostle may alledge that place of Isaiah as a reall proof to prove that the Name of God was blasphemed that is dishonoured and evil spoken of among the Gentiles by reason of the sins of the Jews The blasphemy which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh of was that by which the Babylonians and other Gentiles bordering upon them or living among them did blaspheme the true God But this blasphemy was occasioned partly by the fault of the Jews which were then in Captivity to the Babylonians for many of the Jews which were in Babylon lived not so strictly as their Religion required and when God sent his Prophets to tell them in his Name that he would deliver them out of the hands of the Babylonians they considering the great Power of the Babylonians who lay heavy upon them more than they did the Omnipotency of God would not believe the word of the Lord which made the Babylonians to think and say that the God of Israel was a wicked God because his Servants were wicked And that he was a poor weak God in respect of them because he was not able to deliver his Servants out of their hands neither did his Servants think him able to do it This then was spoken by the Prophet of the Babylonians and other Gentiles who were moved to blaspheme God by the evil carriage of the Jews which lived in the time of the Babylonish Captivity But those Jews which lived in the time of the Babylonish Captivity might be in respect of their evil carriage a Type of those Jews which lived in the time of the Gospel and so what is litterally or historically spoken by the Prophet Isaiah touching them of that time might be Prophetically spoken by him of those which lived in the time of the Gospel And so our Apostle may take it For proof of this that the Jews of one time may be Types of the Jews of another time observe that the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Jews of his time wherein he lived saith in the Person of God This people draweth near me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the Precepts of men Isa 29.13 Now what the Prophet saith there is plain that he saith litterally or historically of the Jews of the time in which he lived Yet because as it seems these Jews were a Type of those Jews which lived in our Saviours time these words of Isaiah are taken not only as an Historical narration of those Jews which lived in Isaiah's dayes but also as a Prophesie concerning those Jews which lived in the dayes of our Saviour for thus saith our Saviour to them Mat. 15.7 Well did Isaiah prophesie of you saying This People draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men
Ver. 25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand these or the like words Neither boast thou â—f this that thou art Circumcised q. d. Neither boast thou of this that thou art Circumcised for Circumcision verily profiâ—eth thee if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is maâ—e as uncircumcision and so cannot profit thee at all c. Note that the Jews thought highly of themselves because of their Circumcision insomuch that they deemed that they were beloved of God how wicked soever their lives were for this very reason because they were Circumcised and that God would not poure down his wrath upon them though he would revenge himself upon the uncircumcised Gentiles And upon this high conceit of themselves by reason of their Circumcision is the tacite Objection built which the Apostle here answereth Ciâ—cumcision profiteth if thou keep the Law A Question may here be asked viz. How doth Circumcision profit the Jew for avoiding of Gods Judgements if he keep the Law I answer the keeping of the Law is profitable to Iustification for the doers of the Law shall be justified v. 13. And if for Justification then for avoiding the Iudgments of God Now for keeping of the Law it is profitable to have the Law plainly written and explained and to have it backed with promises and rewards to them which keep it and this they have which are Circumcised by vertue of theâ—r Circumcision for unto them which were Circumcised were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 3.2 and 9 4. and Psalm 147.10 But if a man keep not the Law it will be no profit to him to know the Law and so no profit to be Circumcised yea It is better for a man not to have known the way of Righteousness than after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to him 2 Pet. 2.21 This answer is countenanced by what our Apostle saith verse 27. Shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doest transgress the Law Ad to this That if upon a supposition He that is Circumcised should keep the Law he that is uncircumcised should also keep the Law yet the Circumcised shall at least in order be preferred before the uncircumcised by reason of his Circumcision which is some profit Another Question may here be asked and it is this Being that the Ceremonial Law was abrogated when the Apostle wrote this and Circumcision was a Ceremony how can Saint Paul say to the Jew as he doth here Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Answ We may say that what Saint Paul speaketh here he speaks by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Concession only granting to the Jew for Argument sake that as true which was not true viz. That Circumcision was in force that he might convince the Jew of that which he most boasted of and wring that Weapon out of his hand in which he most trusted with the more vigour or greater might Or Secondly we may say That Saint Paul in this his discourse against the Jews in this Chapter though he may seem to tax only the Jews of his own time yet he taxeth all those Jews also which lived under the Law which thought they should be saved through Circumcision and when he speaks to the Jew he speaks by a Prosopopoeia or Syllepsis to them all both dead living collective The far greatest part thereof being that they lived when the Law and Circumcision was in force he may say to them in general Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law If thou be a breaker of the Law i. e. If thou keepest not the Law in every point Thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision i. e. Thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou shalt get no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised Ver. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision q. d. Being therefore it is so that if thou who art a Circumcised Jew breakest the Law thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision shall it not be so that if an uncircumcised Gentile keep the Law his uncircumcision shall become as Circumcision That is If it be so that thou notwithstanding thy Circumcision shall perish if thou breakest the Law shall it not be so that a Gentile shall be justified if he keep the Law notwithstanding his uncircumcision The Apostle that he might pull down the pride of the Jew by which he alwayes exalted himself against the Gentile and that he might equal the Gentile with the Jew over whom he boasted in the reward due to Righteousness whom he ranked before with the Jew in the punishment due to unrighteousness he draws this conclusion of which he speaks here out of that which he said v. 25. Note that Saint Paul doth not affirm here that any uncircumcised person did ever keep the righteousness of the Law so as the Law requireth but he only sheweth that if there were any such how God would deal with him If the uncircumcision i. e. If an uncircumcised person He puts here uncircumcision for him that is uncircumcised the Abstract for the Concrete Per Metonymiam Adjuncti Keep the righteousness of the Law i. e. Keep the righteous Precepts and Commandments of the Law as the Law requireth Shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision i. e. Shall not he be accepted before God and justified in his sight though he be uncircumcised as well as if he were circumcised Ver. 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature i. e. And shall not he which is uncircumcised by Nature that is by his Stock or by his Kin or Ancestry He puts uncircumcision for him which is uncircumcised as he did in the beginning of the 26 verse and he opposeth him that is uncircumcised by Nature to a Jew which is circumcised by nature as the Apostle cals him Galat. 2.15 If he fulfill the Law i. e. If he doth all things at all times as exactly as the Law requireth Judge thee i. e. Condemn thee O thou Jew But how shall the uncircumcised person if he fulfil the Law judge the Jew that transgresseth the Law Answ He shall do it not by judging him as a Judge but by accusing him as an Accuser of his transgression for an Accuser is said to condemn a man when he doth so convince him in his arraignment and bring such evidence against him as that he is condemned through his accusation and evidence And he shall accuse him and condemn him not by words but by his example because he kept the Law being uncircumcised whereas the Jew which was circumcised and had the Law written before his eyes transgressed the Law And in this sence it is said that the Men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba should
am I also judged as a Sinner i. e. With what right or with what justice can I be punished as a sinner Supple whereas I advance the Glory of God by my Lie or by my Sin Why yet am I also Note that this word Also is either redundant or else so to be understood as if he should say Why yâ—t are not onâ—ly others whose sins dishonour God but I also who bring Glory to God by my Lie judged as a Sinner and still ly under judgement Ver. 8. And not rather as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say let us do evill that good may come Here are these or the like words left to be understood viz. Encouraged by God to say q d. And why am not I and such as I am rather encouraged to say as we Christians be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say Let us do evill that good may come thereof Or else leaving out those words a while which are here brought in by a Parenthesis to wit As we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say we may thus expound the other words q. d. And not rather do evill that good may come that is And why rather do I not evill with the praise and approbation of God that good may come thereof Where note that these words let us do evill that good may come being that they were the words which others had or were said to have often in their mouthes may be cited by Saint Paul as they spoke them or were said to speak them and they may be used by him without consideration of the Syntax of the place in which he useth them leaving that to the judgement of his Readers See what I said before ver 4. in the like matter As we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say Saint Paul speaks this in the person of all Christians who were calumniated by the Heathen as though they taught that it was lawful for a man to do evil if good could come thereof and as though they encouraged one another to evill with these words Let us do evill that good may come whereas the words immediately going before were spoken in the person of a wicked Heathen yet imitating a Christian as I said ver 5. These words therefore are to be read with a Parenthesis Whose damnation is just Note that this relative whose is to be referred to that pronoun or antecedent Some in those words And as some affirm as we say and the sence of the words is this q d. Who are already damned for this their thus slandering us and thus affirming that we say Let us do evil that good may come and their damnation is just Their damnation is just because they thus slandered Christians who would not have deserved damnation for saying this of Christians if Christians had taught or held any such thing Note that because the absurdity of the Objectors Argument was plain and manifest yea plain and manifest even to those that brought that slanderous report upon Christians to wit that Christians said among themselves Let us do evil that good may come as though they taught that a man might lawfully do evil if good could accrue thereby The Apostle doth not think this Argument of the Objector worth a direct answer But being contented with the rejection and detestation of that which it did conclude doth only pronounce them that brought up that slanderous report upon Christians and affirmed that they said Let us do evil that good may come thereon worthy of damnation A good Disputant as he will answer directly to those things which deserve a direct answer So he will contemn and slight those things which are manifestly absurd and not worth an Answer and so doth the Apostle here But if any one should desire a formal answer to this Argument the Answer may be this though the truth of God doth more abound to his Glory by a mans Lie yet ought not man for this end to do any kind of evil or to tell lies But if he doth so he may be justly judged of God as a Sinner for the lies which man tels and the evil which he doth are not the Genuine cause but occasions onely of illustrating and setting forth the truth and Glory of God so that if God be glorified either by the Lie or by any sin of a Sinner it is not out of the nature of his sins but by accident altogether that God came to be thereby glorified and therefore though God be glorified by them the Sinner is and may be justly judged for them Ver. 9. What then are we better than they These words are to be referred to the second verse of this Chapter as having their immediate connexion with that for that which cometh between commeth in as it were by the by by reason of Objections arising What then q. d But what shall we gather from hence or what shall we say by reason of that That the Oracles of God were committed to the circumcised Jews Are we better than they q. d shall we Jews who have been circumcised gather from hence That we are better than they that is that we are better than the uncircumcised Gentiles The betterness here spoken of is to be understood in respect of Justification before God And in this respect the circumcised Jews which had not the Faith of the Gospel though they had the Oracles of God committed to them and though they did surpasse the Gentiles in other outward Praerogatives were not better than the Gentiles for they had sinned as well as the Gentiles Saint Paul doth make himself here by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the number of those Jews whose condition was no better than the Gentiles that he might give no offence to the Jews which were his flesh For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin q. d. For we have upon good grounds and good evidence charged both Jews and Gentiles that they are all of them guilty of sin The Gentiles we charged in the first chapter the Jews in the second And if they are all guilty of sin than is not one better than another in matter of Justification untill he receives the Gospel of Ghrist by Faith that he might be thereby justified We have before proved The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Law terme And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually said of those which are Accusers who accuse or charge the Defendant with what they have to say against him Well doth Saint Paul use a Law term here in this his Treatise or Dispute of Justification when as the word Justification it self is a Law term and there is in it an allusion to the custome and practice of courts of Justice and whereas he doth appeal both Jew and Gentile at Gods Tribunal Note that the Apostle speaks here of himself in the plural number as
the Law is only the knowledge of sin So some understanding the word only here q. d. For by the Law we only come to know what sin is that is all that the Law can do it can teach us what sin is indeed but it cannot enable us or give us strength to avoid sin that so we may be justified This then is an Answer to an Objection which some might make saying Why Some men as the Jews for example have the written Law and cannot that enable them to do the deeds of the Law so that they may be justified thereby To this the Apostle answers confirming what he had said No for by the Law is only the knowledge of sin Oâ—hers make this an Answer to an Objection too but thus whereas the Apostle said That no flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the Law A Jew might object and say to what purpose then is the Law if a man cannot be justified thereby then was the Law given in vain To this the Apostle answers q. d. Yet it was not for no purpose or in vain that the Law was given though a man cannot be justified thereby for by the Law we come to know what sin is Others take this as a Reason brought by the Apostle to confirm what he had said to wit That no flesh should be justified in the sight of God And his reason is because every man knows by the Law that he hath sinned For whereas the Law tels every man his duty and his conscience tels him that he hath not done according to the Law what remains but that by the Law he knows that he hath sinned Others take this also as a Reason brought by the Apostle to confirm what he had said to wit That no flesh should be justified in the sight of God But they take the word Law in a larger manner than the former did For they take it for the whole word of God contained in the Old Testament And by the Law so taken it is known that All have sinned because there be many passages in the word of God which shew that all have sinned Ver. 21. But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets i e. But yet the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested c The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he said ver 20. That by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God c. A man might object and say if it be so that No flesh can be justified in the sight of God by the deeds of the Law miserable is mans condition For how can a man be justified if not by the Law This Objection I say the Apostle prevents saying But yet the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested Even the righteousness of God which is by faith c. By which he sheweth that a man may be justified by Faith without the Law that is without the strict observation of the Law But now This Particle now is not here an Adverbe of Time but being joyned with But signifieth as much as But yet and so it signifieth also Hebrews 11. ver 16. In these words But now they desire a better Country That is an Heavenly The Righteousness of God Righteousness is taken here for justification as cap. 1.17 and it is called The Righteousness of God because it justifieth before God and God is the Author of it Without the Law That is without the deeds of the Law or without the strict observation of the Law These words answer to those of the twentieth verse viz. By the deeds of the Law And are answered again by those of the two and twentieth verse viz. By the faith of Jesus Christ Is manifested i. e Is plainly and explicitely made known by the preaching of the Gospel Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets By the Law is here meant especially the Books of Moses in which the Law is written and by the Prophets he meaneth the books writings of the Prophets among which the Books of the Psalms is to be reckoned though sometimes they are distinguished one from another as Luke 24.44 Justification by Faith and so without the Law is attested as out of other places so out of the books of Moses in the History of Abraham Rom. 4.3 And out of the books of the Prophets as out of Habakkuk Hab. 2.4 cited Rom. 1.17 And out of the Psalms Psal 32.1 cited Rom. 4.6 and out of Isaiah Isa 28 16. cited Rom. 9.33 and 10.11 c. The Ceremonies also of the Law witnessed this by the blood of their sacrifices and by their washings and by the covering of the Arke c. The Apostle adds this Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets to shew that what he taught was no sigment of his own but that which the holy Scriptures did acknowledge and teach Ver. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ q. d. I say the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ The Apostle resumes here the words which he used in the former verse that he might explain himself what Righteousness of God it was which he said was now manifested For in the former verse he did set it out only Negatively and shew only that it was a Righteousness without works Now therefore he shews what it is affirmatively while he sheweth that it is a Righteousness which is to be obtained by Faith and that the Faith of Jesus Christ By the Faith of Jesus Christ i. e. By the faith of the Gospel whereof Jesus Christ is the Chief and Principall Subject and of which he was the Preacher This Genitive case therefore is Genitivus objecti efficientis The Object of our Faith is the Gospel of Christ chap. 1.16 And Jesus Christ himself is as the Preacher so the Principal Subject of that Gospel Jesus Christ therefore is put here for the Gospel of Jesus Christ Per Synechdochen Partis for think it not enough to justification to believe that Jesus Christ is come into the world No nor that God hath raised him from the dead as Chap. 10 9. But when it is said that we shall be justified by the faith of Jesus or that we shall be saved if we believe that God hath raised him from the dead A part of the Object which we must believe for our justification is put for the whole Vnto all i. e. Which Righteousness is offered to all whether Jews or Gentiles And upon all them which believe i. e. And which righteousness is actually bestowed upon all and only upon all them which believe whether they be Jews or Gentiles Note here that there is a Totall Ellipsis of the Verbs in the Greek which are supplied by some in this manner as I have spoken and they do interpret these words as if by these words Vnto all were intended the offer of righteousness or justification And
as if by these words Vpon all were signified the actual bestowing thereof But others take these words Vpon all to be but a repetition of those words Vnto all and conceive that they were iterated or repeated the more to inculcate the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and the more to comfort and hearten those which believed q.d. which cometh unto all them and upon all them which believe whether they be Jews or Gentiles Yet we must understand the word Only here which is often left to be understood For the Apostle would shew here that they whom God justifieth do not attain to justification by several wayes as the Jews by the Law and the Gentiles by Faith But that both Jews and Gentiles obtain it by one and the same way namely by Faith Wherefore when he saith unto all and upon all them which believe it is as if he should say Vnto all them and only upon all them which believe For there is no difference Supple between Nations or Persons in respect of the way or manner of justification For all whether they be Jews or Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised or whatsoever they be which are justified are justified after one and the same way or manner to wit by Faith He sheweth the Reason here why he said unto all and only upon all them which believe Ver. 23. For all have sinned He gives a Reason here why there is no difference in the way of justification and the reason is because all have sinned Had not all sinned but some sinned and others lived and continued without sin then had there been a difference in the way of justification For they that had not sinned would have been justified by the works of the Law and they that had sinned would have been justified if they had been justified at all by Faith But being that all have sinned and God hath appointed no other way for the justification of sinners but by Faith all that are justified must be justified by Faith and so after one and the same way or manner of justification And come short of the glory of God That is and come short of fulfilling of the Law or and come short of the praise of God for fulfilling the Law or for their Innocency And come short of the glory of God The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be taken here for the praise of God that praise wherewith he praiseth and commendeth men for their well-doing as it is also taken John 12.43 Yea for that praise wherewith he praiseth or commendeth men for their innocency or for that that they have perfectly done their duty and failed in nothing at all So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God is not here Genitivus Objecti but Genitivus Efficientis as Grammarians speak And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word which may be rendred Non assequuntur i. e. They attain not to q. d. All have sinned and none hath attained to the praise of God or to that that God should praise him for his innocency or for so doing the Law as that he hath failed in nothing thereof In Courts of Justice where a man is accused of some grievous crime against the Law and he is found innocent and clear of the crime whereof he is accused the Judge useth to commend the party accused and found clear for his innocency and integrity that he may incourage him to persevere and keep himself innocent from the breach of the Law Hence that Rom. 13.3 Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same To this usage doth the Apostle seem here to allude who in the Treaty of Justification which is the main Subject of this his Epistle borroweth many Metaphors from the Courts of Justice Some conceive that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is properly taken is spoken of such as running with others in a Race are cast behind through weariness and faintness or some other accident or disability so that they come not to the Goale so as to have any reward or fruit of their pains and labour and to attain the prize So that by putting the Antecedent for the Consequent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Not to attain to The Apostle therefore according to these useth a Metaphor here not from the Courts of Justice but from a Race in which Metaphor Man is as the runner in a Race the Race is the Commandments of God The End of the Race is the perfect keeping of the Commandments the Agonotheta is God himself The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Reward which he propoundeth is his Praise and Approbation The like Metaphor they observe Heb. 4 1. Ver. 24. Being justified freely by his Grace i e. That they may be justified freely by his Grace Supple As many as are justified Being justified The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is a participle which is as much here as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they are justified So the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being filled is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they are filled chap. 1.29 Freely by his grace i. e. Freely by his Favour and so not of Debt or of Merit He saith both freely and by his grace doubling as it were the same word that he might the more exclude Debt and Merit Through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ That is By the justification which is by Christ Jesus Note that the word Redemption at it is here taken and justification signifie both one and the same thing to wit a freedom or delivery from the guilt and punishment of sin only the Metaphor is diverse For Justification is a Metaphor taken from Courts of Justice where a man is said to be justified when he is acquitted or absolved from that crime of which he was accused And Redemption is a Metaphor taken from Captives which are redeemed with a price out of the hands of those to whom they were in Captivity and who had power to kill them This Justification or Redemption is said to be by Christ Jesus because we are justified by his merits and we are redeemed by his Blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19. That is in Christ Jesus i. e. That is by Christ Jesus or through Christ Jesus as the meritorious cause thereof Note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In answereth to the Hebrew Prefix Beth and therefore may be taken for By or Through yea for almost any Preposition whatsoever Ver. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation i. e. Whom God hath given set forth and proclaimed to be a means to appease his displeasure God may be said to give set forth and proclaim Christ as a means to appease his displeasure because as he hath appointed and ordained him to be our Propitiator So he gave him and he made it known to all that he had given him to be such by the
For my self I take these words as actully referred to the words going next before them to wit to these Through faith but as Potentially relating to the former words also q. d. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through his blood and to be enjoyed and made ours through faith in that his blood So that by what is expressed in the latter sentence we are to understand what is defective in the former Yea these words By his blood may relate actually both to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation to those By faith See the like chap 9. v. 12. In these words By his blood there is as we said an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law which were but Types of Christ the substance Yet here and in other places also where there is mention of the blood of Christ by the blood of Christ is to be understood by a Synechdoche whatsoever Christ did or suffered for us from the first time of his taking our Flesh upon him Through faith in his blood Note here that Faith when it is joyned with In as here it is signifieth for the most part Trust and Confidence or Relying upon a thing And here it signifieth Trust or Confidence or Relying upon the blood of Christ And truly he that doth believe the Gospel and the Death of Christ therein recorded as he ought to do cannot but trust and confide in the death or blood of Christ and relye upon it Hence it is that such kind of phrases as these The faith of and Faith from are often confounded in Scripture and taken for one and the same thing To declare his Righteousness The word Righteousness signifieth here both the Fidelity or Truth and the Goodness or Mercy of God as will appear by the following verse where it is repeated And it is frequent for one word thus to carry with it two significations but more of this in the next verse Note that these words To declare his Righteousness depend on those Whom he hath set forth and shew the final cause or end of that That God set forth a Propitiator which was to shew that he was righteous for or by remitting of sins For the remission of sins which are past i. e. For that he remitteth the sins which are past The words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where some interpret the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propter that is For others Per By or Through According therefore to the interpretation of the first the words must run thus For the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation and there must be a Comma between these and the words which go immediately before them for they signifie a more special end why God did set forth Christ to be a Propitiation He did it for the remission of sins According to the Second interpretation the words must run thus Through the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to the words immediately going before and shew how God was declared to be Righteous He was declared to be Righteous by the remission of sins which are past or In remitting of sins which were past For remission of sins declare God to be Righteous that is to be merciful for it is mercy in God to forgive sins whereas he might punish the sinner with eternal death and remission of sins declare God to be righteous that is True and Faithful because whereas God did say and promise That he would forgive sins by the remission of sins he did shew himself to be as good as his word For the remission of sins that are past i. e. For the remission of sins which were committed in the Time of the Law which is now past He mentioneth only those sins which were committed under the Law not because God gave a Propitiation for remission of those sins only and not for the remission of the sins committed under the Gospel But that he might shew the weakness of the Old Law of which the Jews with whom he hath to do for a great part in this his Epistle did glory And that he might declare that those Expiations or Purgations which appertained to the Law were not true Purgations and Expiations indeed but only shadows of true Purgations and Expiations For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin Heb. 10.4 And as the Apostle doth here so doth he also Heb. 9.15 mention the redemption only of the Transgressions that were under the Old Testament saying And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Tâ—stament that by the means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions which were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance But by the remission of sins that are past and by the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Testament we must understand in both places all other sins too And that not without reason for if the blood of Christ was able to deliver men from their sins committed before it was shed much more is it able to deliver men from their sins which have been committed since the shedding thereof Yet note that some understand The sins that are past not of the sins commiâ—ted under the Law as so but of the sins committed by a man before his conversion whether under the Law or not And they say that the Apostle mentioneth only the remission of sins committed before a mans conversion to signifie not that sins committed after conversion were unpardonable as Novatus is said by some to hold but that they which were justified had no licence given them to sin by reason of that grace For this is the manner of the Gospel to threaten woe to him that shall sin and yet to â—ffâ—r pardon and mercy upon repentance to him that hath sinned But I embrace the former exposition before this Through the forbearance of God i. e. And which God hath not punished with any dreadful punishment not by reason of that that they did not deserve dreadful punishment nor by reason of that that they were expiated and purged by other means than by the blood of Christ but through his forbearance and long-suffering And therefore did God forbeare to punish the sins of men committed under the Law according to their desert because he had determined to set forth a Propitiation for those their sins in his good time to wit the Time of the Gospel A Propitiation which should reach even to sins committed under the Law In these words therefore there is an Ellipsis and these words contain a prevention of an Objection which a Jew might make For a Jew might say That either they Jews had not committed any such sin as deserved dreadful punishment or that if they had committed such sins they were expiated and purged
by the Rites and Expiations of the Law otherwise God would have taken vengeance of their sins long before this To this therefore the Apostle answers That it was not because they had not committed such sins nor because their sins were expiated and purged by the Law that God had not punished them in any grievous manner but it was because of his forbearance and long suffering Note that Christ was not a Propitiation for all sins which were past but only for the sins past of such as repented whose sins God punished not so soon as they were committed and for Gods forbearance to them others which repented not did fare the better in that God did forbear them and the sins of them which repented he punished in Christ Ver. 26. To declare I say at this time his Righteousnes The Apostle resumes here what he spoke in the former verse the better to explain himself This word Righteousness is to be taken here both for the Fidelity or Truth and for the Goodness or Mercy of God as I said before For what he meaneth by Declaring the Righteousness of God he expoundeth by those words that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Where to be just signifieth the Fidelity and Truth of God in keeping his word To be the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus sheweth the Goodness and Mercy of God Of that that the word Righteousness is sometimes taken for Fidelity and Truth we have an example verse 5. Of that that the word Righteousness is taken for Goodness and Mercy we have an example 2 Cor. 9.9 It may be that the Apostle saith of God That he granted remission of sins that he might appear just in respect of the Jews because of the promise of God made to their Fathers that he would upon their saith and repentance give them remission of sins And that he saith that he granted remission of sins that he might appear the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus in respect especially of the Gentile who had no such promise made to him by God of his justification as the Jew had yet may rejoyce in that that God hath freely justified him At this time By this time he meaneth here the Time of the Gospel and it is opposed to the time of the Law or the time before Christ signified by or intimated in those words of the former verse to wit sins that are past That he might be just q. d That is to say That he might appear to be just That is that he might appear to be True and Faithful in his word These words That is to say are here to be understood and to be is to be taken for To appear to be as ver 4. And Just is to be taken here for True and Faithfull in word as it is also taken 1 John 1.9 And God is said here to be True and Faithfull because he did say and promise in the Law and in the Prophets that he would give remission of sins unto his People and so justifie them and as he said and promised so he did to as many as believed And the Justifi r of him which believeth in Jesus q. d. And that he might appear to be the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus To justifie is to foâ—gâ—ve sins and to absolve from punishment due unto sins and this is an effect of the great mercy and goodness of God Ver 27. Were is boasting then q. d. Being therefore That all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God and that as many as are justified are justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus c. Where is Boasting i. e. Where is any just cause of Boasting This is a Corollary drawn from what he said from ver 20. hitherto and the Apostle drawes it to repress the vain boasting of the Jews and to make men seek after Justification not by the Law but by Faith And it is spoken after a kind of insulting manner the Apostle insulting thereby as it were over the Jews who were great boasters Where is boasting Note that the Apostle speaks not here of an unlawfull or unjust or causless boasting or of boasting only before Men for so any man might boast and so did the Jews boast But he speaks of a lawfull just and well grounded boasting and a boasting before God such a boasting where nothing is to be imputed to the grace and favour of God but all to a mans own self And that not in the appearance of man only but in the strict eye and view of God Such a boasting as this is the Apostle demonstratively hath proved cannot have place in a justified Man It is excluded q. d. It hath no place at all in a man which is actually justified but is excluded from his justification By what Law The word Law is to be taken here in a more Lax and Generall signification than commonly it is taken For here are two Species of the Law as it is here used mentioned in this place The Law of works and the Law of faith whereof the Law of works is properly and most usually called the Law and is ordinarily opposed to the Gospel and the other is the Gospel as it is opposed to the Law so strictly taken The word Law therefore is to be taken here for Doctrine q. d. But by what doctrine is boasting excluded That which is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Law is that which is usual in the Hebrew Torah and Torah signifieth not onely the Law in speciall but any doctrine in generall as I said before ver 19. from whence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our English word Law doth often signifie the like as the Hebrew Torah doth in analogy to that Of Works i. e. By the Law of works The word Law is here to be understood from that which went before By the Law of Works is meant that doctrine which teacheth that a Man which is actually Justified is justified by the works of the Law and that he that would be justified must be thereby justified which cannot be except a man hath most exactly kept the whole Law and never failed in any Tittle thereof at any time Nay The Apostle sheweth here that boasting is not excluded by the Law of Works And indeed it implieth a contradiction to say that a justified man or a man that is actually justified according to the Law of Works is excluded from boasting by the Law of Works For he that is justified according to the Law of Works with Reverence be it spoken is not beholding to God for his justification for he hath perfectly observed the Law in every Apex Tittle and Jot of it so that God who is just in his judgement when he is brought before his Tribunal as a Transgressour of the Law must needs justifie him that is must needs acquit him and pronounce him guiltless and God would be unjust
if he did not so Such a man therefore as is justified according to the Law of Works hath good cause of boasting even before God Chapter 4.2 But by the Law of Faith That Law that is that doctrine which teacheth that a man is justified by Faith doth exclude boasting and takes away the cause or ground of boasting from a justified man For it teacheth that he that is justified according to that hath sinned and therefore if he be justified he is justified by Grace that is by the meer favour and mercy of God which cannot stand with boasting It teacheth I say that every man hath sinned and so that every man is under the Curse for cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut 27.25 Galat. 3.10 And being now cursed he cannot get out from under that curse without the favour and mercy of God For having broken the Law he cannot be justified by the Law for that implies a Contradiction And therefore if he be justified he must be justified by Faith and so by the meer grace and favour of God with which boasting cannot consist The Apostles scope in this verse is as I said as to repress the vain boasting of the Jews so to take men off from seeking after justification by works or by the works of the Law and to bring them to seek after justification by Faith and his Argument is valid to this purpose upon supposition which yet he hath proved to be a most certain Truth that all have sinned For if all men have sinned which is an undeniable truth and which the doctrine of Faith teacheth then no man can boast before God for whosoever hath sinned hath need of the grace and favour of God And whosoever receives any thing of the grace and favour of God cannot boast 1 Cor. 4.7 Now if thou canst not boast thou seekest in vain to be justified by the works of the Law for no man can be justified by the works of the Law but he which keepeth the Law and hath always kept it in every point And he that keeps it so may boast Therefore being thou canst not boast seek not for justification by the works of the Law which makes them boast which are justified thereby but seek for it by faith For though thou canst not boast and so canst not be justified by the works of the Law yet thou mayest be justified by Faith It is not unlikely but that among the Jews which were blinded by reason of their unbelief Chap. 11. ver 7. There were some who though they were convinced that they could not boast yet did seek for justification by the Law not perceiving how incompatible these two things are Not to boast or not to have matter of boasting and to be justified by the Law But by the Law of Faith Note that whereas the Apostle might have said thus Where is boasting then It is excluded By what By Works Nay but by Faith He saith Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law of works Nay but by the Law of Faith And this he doth by a Mimesis mentioning and repeating the word Law that he might in a slighting manner imitate the Jews who did crack of the Law and had the Law alwayes in their mouths though they kept it not intimating thereby that if they gloried in the word Law he could say that they which were Justified were justified by a Law too but not by the Law which they cracked of to wit the Law of Works but by a Law differing from that to wit the Law of Faith Ver. 28. We conclude therefore that a man is justified by faith This conclusion the Apostle draws not from the verse immediately going before but from his whole discourse which he hath had from the 17. verse of the first Chapter of this Epistle hitherto and especially from that which he taught and discoursed of Chap. 3. ver 23 24 25 26. A Man i. e. Any or Every man that is justified The word Man is to be taken here indefinitely q. d. We conclude therefore that a man be he Jew or be he Gentile or whatsoever he is that is justified is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Without the Works of the Law i. e. Though he be without the Works of the Law that is though he be without that that he hath perfectly observed and kept the Law Without the Works of the Law is the same here as Not by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 By the Works of the Law are meant Works done exactly according to the Praescript of the Law so that if a man hath at any time transgressed the Law either positively or privatively he cannot be said to have the works of the Law in the Apostles sence here Ver. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only For God to be the God of any one doth sometimes signifie that God is held as a God and worshipped and obeyed as a God of him whose God he is said to be In this sence Jacob said that the Lord should be his God Gen. 28.21 Sometimes again and that most frequently for God to be the God of any one signifieth that God is an Egregious Benefactor of him whose God he is said to be In which sence it is said Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord Psalm 33.12 And in which sence God is said to be the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod 3.6 And in which sence God saith that he would be a God to Abraham and to his Seed after him Gen. 17.7 Now of these two sences the latter is that in which God is said here to be a God of the Jews and not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also For God is a Benefactor to them both not only in Temporal blessings but in Spiritual blessings also and in such as concern Eternal Salvation The Apostle speaketh by an Interrogative here first to signifie that the thing which he speaks of is so plain as that it cannot be denied Secondly to take up the Jews a little who entertained a base esteem of the Gentiles Is he not of the Gentiles also i e. Is he not the God of the Gentiles also and doth he not wish and do well to them also that they may be saved Yea of the Gentiles also q. d. Yea he is the God of the Gentiles also and wisheth and doth well to them that they may be saved and will be a Benefactor to them in those things which concern their Eternal welfare if they believe As for the Connexion of this verse with what went before It is this The Apostle had said vers 28. That a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law where he took the word Man indefinitely for men of any Nation by reason therefore of that word he had a good opportunity given him to speak to
the Jew of the good will of God towards the Gentiles from that therefore he inferreth this Corollary Is he the God of the Jews only c. As if he should say and now O thou Jew is God the God of the Jews only is he not the God of the Gentiles also Yes he is the God of the Gentiles also seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith And this or the like opportunity he takes often to declare the good will and favour of God towards the Gentiles because the Jews counted the Gentiles but as brute Beasts to whom God had no respect in comparison of themselves Ver. 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie It would have been better rendred thus Seeing God is one who justifieth c. That is Seeing God is one and the same God which justifieth the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith God is called One here not in respect of his Essence or in opposition to a multitude of gods but in respect of his carrying himself to all alike whether Jews or Gentiles q. d. Seeing God is one and the same towards all who shall justifie c. Which shall justifie the circumcision by faith Note that the Circumcision is taken here for the Circumcised that is for the Jews who were Circumcised by a Metonymie and that shall justifie is put here for doth justifie A Future for a Present tense after the manner of the Hebrews which use so to do especially when they would signifie a continued Act. And the uncircumcision through faith By the uncircumcision are here meant the Gentiles who used not Circumcision as the Jews did who were enjoyned by God to it but were uncircumcised And yet we read of some Gentiles which were Circumcised as the people of Colchis Aegypt and Aethiopia as Herodotus relates in his Euterpe yet they come under the name of uncircumcision here because the Circumcision which they received they received from among themselves the use thereof was not enjoyned to them of God as that Circumcision which the Jews used was to them Gen. 17. v. 10 11 c. Note that these Phrases By faith and Through faith signifie one and the same thing and that there is no difference in the sence of the Phrases though there be in the words In that God justifieth both Jew and Gentile after the same manner it sheweth him to be the same in his love and affection to both Ver. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith q. d. Do we then say that the Law is useless and as an idle thing and a thing of no effect by those things which we have said of faith To make void is put here for to say that it is void by a Metalepsis Note that the Apostle doth prevent an Objection here for because he said v. 28. We conclude that a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And again v. 30. It is one God or God is One which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith A Jew might object and say If it be so that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and God doth justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision throuh faith then is the Law void for to what end should it stand if it did not justifie a man To this the Apostle answers That notwithstanding that which he had said concerning faith the Law doth stand yea what he said concerning faith doth establish the Law For though the Law doth not justifie a man yet the Doctrine of faith doth enjoyn those which believe to lead a pious godly and religious life according to the Praescript of the Law and to follow those things which the Law commandeth And by faith we attain to more ability for the performance of the Law than the Law it self can give Note that what is here spoken must be understood of the Moral Law Through faith i. e. Throuh the Doctrine of faith or through those things which we have said of faith We establish the Law i. e. We maintain the Law in its standing and keep it up That is we take not the Law away but let it stand in its due place and give it its due honour How Saint Paul established the Law by faith we shewed a little before in the Exposition of this verse He establisheth it by making it or teaching that it is a Rule of our Lives though he denies to be the means of justification And that we attain more ability to the keeping of the Law through faith than the Law it self could give us CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found 1. We have taught hitherto that the man that is justified is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith And let us now enquire in particular concerning Abraham's justificâ—tion to wit how he was justified How shall we say then that Abraham who is our Father as concerning the flesh attained to justification Shall we say that Abraham attained to justification by works No in no wise 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory or boast even before God but he hath not whereof to glory or to boast before God therefore he is not justified by works 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness 3. Now that Abraham hath not whereof to glory or boast before God is apparent for what saith the Scripture It saith that Abraham believed God and that that was set down upon his account to him to receive righteousness or justification for it that is in fewer words it saith That Abraham believed God and for that he was justified Gen. 15.5 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. Now to him that worketh the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as that he never failes at any time in performing the least title of the Law to him indeed the reward that is righteousness or justification is set down upon accompt to be paid him as a thing not of grace and favour but of debt for with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him but condemn him for a sinner who had never sinned So that he indeed hath whereof to glory or boast even before God 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness 5. But to him that worketh not the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as the Law requires but believeth on God who justifieth sinners his faith is set down upon accompt to him for him to receive
condition required to all the spiritual seed of Abraham that is to all the faithfull not only to that which is of the Law and under that as the Jews are but to that also which followeth the Faith of Abraham though they be not under the law as the believing Gentiles doe which Abraham is the Father of us all which believe whether we are Jews or Gentiles and under the Law or without the Law 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were 17. As it is written of him Genesis 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations I say which Abraham is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth those which are dead in unbelief with the life of Faith and maketh those which are not faithfull as they which are so raising up spiritual seed to Abraham 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be 18. Who against all hope which he could conceive by the course of nature of having a childe believed in hope which he grounded upon the truth and power of God That he should become the Father of many nations according to that which is written of him Gen. 15.5 As the Stars of the Heavens for number so shall thy seed be 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred year old neither yet the deadness of Saras womb 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now old and feeble and unfit for generation and as it were dead in respect of that when he was now about an hundred years old nor did he consider the barrenness of Sarahs womb and the indisposition and inability thereof to conception so as to doubt or dispair by reason of them of the promise of God 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 20. He staggered not at the word of God through unbelief But was strong in faith giving glory to God by relying upon his word 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness 22. And therefore it is written to his immortal praise that this his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 23. But now it was not written for his sake alone that he might thereby be praised that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead 24. But it was written for our sakes also to assure us that our beliefe also shall be imputed to us for righteousness if we believe on God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification 25. Who was both delivered to death and raised again from the dead for our Justification that is that we might be thereby justified CHAP. IV. Verse 1. What shall we say then i. e. How or by what way or after what manner shall we say then What is to be taken here for How or after what manner for the Apostle speaketh here not so much of Justification it self as of the way or manner of attaining it And so the word What is sometimes taken elsewhere For whereas it is said Marke 4.23 Take heed what you hear It is said Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear That Abraham our father as pertaining to the Flesh i. e. That Abraham who is the Father of all us Jews after the flesh i. e. by carnal Propagation whether we be of the Law or whether we be of the Faith Abraham was a Father two manner of wayes to wit according to the Flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh Abraham was a Father of all Jews whether they believed or no. But according to the spirit he was the Father only of Such Jewes as did believe and imitate his Faith verse 12. The Apostle calls Abraham his Father as other Jews also did to shew that he did esteem of Abraham as his Father aswel as they and therefore what he was to say of Abraham he would not say out of desire he had of diminishing Abrahams glory but out of meer love which he bore to the Truth Hath found i. e. Hath obtained or attained to Supple Justification Note that to find is put here for to obtain or to attain to as Prov. 8.35 and 17.20 and so it is taken so often as one is said to find grace in the sight of another a phrase which the Scripture often useth as Gen. 18.3.30.27 Numb 11.11 Deut. 24.1 2. Sâ—m 15 25 c. Note also that here is somewhat to be understood to wit Justification for it is not to be doubted but that the Apostle speaks here of Justification for this is the subject of all his discourse in this place Our Apostle doth suppose here that Abraham was justified and doth enquire only how he was justified I say he doth suppose that he was justified which he might well suppose for none of the Jews with whom he hath here to do did ever doubt of that or deny it Ver. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works Between this and the former verse we must understand these words to wit by Works No surely q. d. How then or by what means shall we say that Abraham who is the Father of us all after the Flesh hath obtained Justification by works No surely For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory before God in the matter of justificationâ— But he hath not whereof to glory before God in the matter of justification Therefore he is not justified by works He is said in our Apostles sence to be justified by works which hath so strictly observed the Law by which he should walk and walked so strictly according to it as that he never offended in the least manner that is either in thought word or deed For whosoever hath offended against that Law in never so small a matter cannot be said to be justified by morks He hath whereof to glory Supple even before God By glorying is not meant here any Thrasonicall vaunting or any unjust glorying but such a glorying which he might both justly and seemly use which had perfectly kept the Law and never offended against it in the least point which glorying is nothing else but the attributing of his justification or that that he is not condemned but acquitted when he
the coppy by which he should have drawn a picture may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the Limner only but the Picture also which through the unskilfulness of the Limner is drawn unlike the coppy And as the arrow and the picture so may we be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through Adams sin do miss and come short of that Image in which Adam was made when he was endued with those gifts and graces which he had when he was in his best estate to which we should have been conform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore which is rendred here Peccare to sin is not spoken of us by reason of any sinful Act which we our selves have done in our own persons but by reason of that we have formally missed and come short of that Righteousness that is of those gifts and graces which were given to Adam for us aswel as for himself and which we miss and come short off by reason of Adams disobedience Ver. 13. For until the law sin was in the the world The Apostle prevents a tacite Objection here for whereas he said immediately before that all had sinned A man might object and say But how canst thou say Paul that all have sinned whereas there was no sin in the world for two thousand and four hundred years together that is from the time that Adam fell untill the time that the Law was given by Moses for thou thy self sayst Chap. 4.15 Where there is no Law there is no transgression And there was no Law in all that time This objection the Apostle prevents here saying For until the Law sin was in the world But sin is not imputed to wit for a transgression where there is no Law c. q. d. I acknowledge where there is no Law there is no Transgression but yet it followeth not that where there is no Transgression there is no Sin for though every transgression be a Sin yet every Sin is not a transgression Though therefore there was no transgression in the world from Adams time until the Law yet it follows not but that there might be Sin yea and there was Sin in the world before the Law What a transgression is in the Apostles language See Notes Cap. 4. ver 15. By the Law is here meant the Law which was given by Moses The Apostle when he said that all had sinned spoke as I said not of Actual but Original sin Yet the man in whose person the Apostle raiseth this tacite Objection which he here preventeth or answereth taketh it as though he spoke of actuall sins For of such sins is the Apostle to be understood as well as of Original sin when he saith For until the Law sin was in the world c. Where note that the Apostle doth not alwayes raise objections in the person of one kind of men but sometimes in the person of one kinde of men Sometimes in the person of another And here he raiseth the Objection which he here prevents or answereth in the person of such a one as mistook the meaning of his words when he said All have sinned as though he spoke of Actuall sins when he spoke only of Original sin So when he saith Chap. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Some utterly mistaking the sence of these words as though they were now absolutely freed from the Law in every respect and nothing but favour was to be shewed lived they never so dissolutely concluded from thence that now in this their estate of Christianity they might freely sin whom our Apostle meets with there when he saith What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid And our Apostle raiseth or praeventeth even such objections because there may be some so weak as to raise them and because in his answer to them He can bring in such matter as he would not have them to whom he writes ignorant of And here he raiseth this Objection that by his answer he might shew how sin abounded that having shewed how sin abounded he might shew that when sin abounded grace did much more abound ver 20. But sin is not imputed To wit as a transgression Thus to limit this imputation we have a hint from the following words When there is no Law i. e When there is no Law openly and sensiibly given either by word of mouth as that which was given to Adam or by writing as that which was given by Moses Ver. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses ever over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression q d. Though sin be not imputed as a transgression when there is no Law openly or sensibly given yet nevertheless to shew that sin was in the world before the Law was given by Moses death which is the wages of sin reigned and exercised her power even over them that had not transgressed against any Law openly or sensibly given as Adam had Death reigned i. e. Death shewed or exercised her power or tyranny rather over them c. By slaying them for they dyed From Adam to Moses i. e. From the fall of Adam to the time in which the Law was given by Moses which was above two thousand and four hundred years That had not sinned after the Similitude of Adams transgression i. e. Who had not sinned like unto Adam who sinned against a Law given him openly and sensibly by Gods mouth Gen. 2.17 and therefore sinned by transgression Adams transgression i. e. Adams sin which was commited against a Law openly and sensibly given for such a sin doth the word Transgression signifie in our Apostles language as was said Cap 4.15 Who is the figure of him that is to come i. e. Who is the figure of Christ the second Adam who though he be now come into the world yet was he not come then but to come when death reigned from Adam to Moses Adam was a Figure or type of Christ only in a generall manner to wit because as Adam conveyed or derived something to his children or to his branches so did Christ to his But if we descend to particulars Adam could not be the Type or Figure of Christ but by a contrary comparison For Adam conveyed and derived sin and death to his children or to his branches but Christ conveyed or derived Grace that is the pardon of sin whereby they are justified and life to his Ver. 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift q. d But yet the free gift supple which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his children Is not so supple for equality as the offence is supple which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children but much exceeds it Or thus But yet not so mean as the offence is which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children in its kind is the free gift which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his
in them And because they were made Sinners therefore the judgement of God came upon them to condemnation ver 18. By the obedience of one This one is Christ Jesus and this his obedience is that which we read Philip. 2.8 whereby he was obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Shall many be made righteous i. e. Shall many be justified The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is asmuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall be justified So also is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Chap. 2.13 The righteousness here spoken of is that Righteousness which is called also justification and which consists in the pardon of or absolution from Sins and it is the effect of the obedience of that One that is of Christ Jesus This righteousness did Jesus Christ purchase for us by this his obedience and conferreth on all them which believe in him By the disobedience therefore of Adam were many made Sinners in that by his disobedience the offence that is Original Sin came upon them And by the obedience of Christ were many made righteous in that by his obedience they attained to that righteousness or justification by which they are freed acquitted and absolved from all both Original and Actual Sins Ver. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. Moreover when the Law entred the offence did abound Note that the particle that is a sign here not of the intent but of the event so that the sence of this place is this q. d. The Law which forbiddeth Sin entred into the world in the middle time between Adam and Christ yet the event or issue of that was only this That Sin did abound He speaks here of the Law which was given by Moses and prevents an objection for whereas it was tacitly objected between the 12 and 13 verses That Sin was not in the world before the Law which objection the Apostle answered in the 13 and 14 verses It might be thus objected upon the Apostles answer But if we grant Sin to have been in the world before the Law yet surely when the Law came Sin was then no more in the world for the Law is a perfect remedy against Sin To this the Apostle here answereth that though the Law entred yet when it had entred it was so far from being a remedy against Sin as that Sin did abound and became more abundant by the Law than it was before I have said that these words are an answer to a tacit objection springing from the Apostles answer to a former objection supposed to arise between the 12 and 13 verses But some make them an answer to an objection supposed to arise out of the last words of the 19 verse viz. By the obedience of one man many were made righteous For a man may object from those words and say But why dost thou Paul say that by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous that is many shall be justified For there is no need of the obedience of another that any should be made righteous or that any should be justified since the Law was given for the Law is enough to make men righteous and is sufficient it self to preserve them from Sin To this the Apostle answereth q. d. The Law is so far from making men righteous and from preserving them from Sin as that the Law since it entred hath been an occasion that Sin hath much more abounded than it did before But which way soever of the two we conceive this objection to be raised or whether both ways it skills not much the matter tending still to the same purpose The Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. The Law entred that Sin might abound And therefore did Sin abound when the Law entred Because the Law worketh wrath for where there is no Law there is no Transgression as our Apostle speaketh Chap. 4.15 By the offence he means Actual Sin or Sins And that which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offence here he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin in the following words But where Sin abounded i. e. But when sin abounded Where is put here for When an Adverb of place for an Adverb of time That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here as was there observed Grace did much more abound By Grace understand here the grace and favour of God which is said here to abound by reason of its effects to wit Remission of Sins or Justification whereby the Sinner which believeth is justified from all his sins or hath all his Sins forgiven him By how much the more and greater the Sins of a Sinner are By so much the greater and more abundant is the grace and favour of him which forgiveth them And by how much the greater Sinner a man acknowledgeth himself to have been so much the greater grace and favour and mercy doth he confess that he hath received by the remission and forgiveness of his sins as we may learn by the example of the woman which was a Sinner Luke 7. ver 38 c. And by the example of the Apostle himself 1 Tim. 1.12 He saith of the offence or of Sin that it did abound and of grace that it did much more abound Supple than Sin did And this he doth because the grace and mercy of God did prevail above the Sins of men though they did very much prevail and was more powerful than they For the grace and mercy of God did take away the guilt of all sins in the believer and therefore was more powerful in him to justifie him than all his Sins were to condemn him V. 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death i e. That as Sin hath shewed her power which was as the power of Queen over men by bâ—inging them to death and destruction through her guilt Even so might grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life i. e. Even so might the grace or favour of God towards men like a Queen shew her power in them which believe in bringing them through the remission of their Sins and of the guilt thereof to eternal life By Righteousness is here meant Justification or Remission of sins See verses 17 and 18. And grace is said to bring men to eternal life through Righteousness that is by Remission of Sins or Justification Because God glorifieth none whom he doth not Justifie And because he doth not only vouchsafe to justifie Sinners from their sins if they believe But doth also bring them when he hath Justified them to life eternal if they persist in their faith Note here that when the Apostle saith that grace reigneth through righteousness unto everlasting life his meaning is not that grace exempteth us so from death as that we shall never die but his meaning is that grace doth confer life so unto us and so exempt us from death as that death shall not always have dominion
to whom he wrote a little before Not to let sin reign in their mortal body c. least any should shew himself faint-hearted and because before the time of his belief while he was under the Law he was continually drawn by sin to consent to her motions and fulfil her lusts and so to yield himself her Servant should say that he was not able to withstand the power of sin but must needs yield to her as to her which hath dominion over him for so strong was sin in him as that the Law could not strengthen him sufficiently against her motions He prevents him here with a word of comfort and encouragement saying For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace For ye are not under the Law but under Grace i. e. For ye are none of you under the Law which gave you little or no assistance against sin but you are under the Gospel which giveth you strength to resist sin and work righteousness He gives a reason here why sin should not have dominion over them Note that the Apostle directs this his speech to the believing Jews in a particular manner Note also that by the Law is here meant the Law of Moses as it was given by Moses and as it is in it self precisely considered in which regard it had but little power to keep a sinner from yielding to the motions of sin And indeed when the word Law is put absolutely in opposition to grace it always so signifieth So that the sence of these words may be this q. d. For ye are not under the Law which had not power enough to keep you from the dominion of sin But ye are under grace which giveth you strength to free your selves from sin that she domineer not over you Ye are not under the Law To be under the Law signifieth two things to wit to be under the obligation of the Law And to be under the imperfection of the Law that is to be under the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without the grace of the Gospel In which last sence the Law though it did impose commands upon men it did not either of it self or by any thing joyned with it afford strength enough to a sinner to resist sin and to perform those her commands For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.17 Now to be under the Law signifieth here not only to be under the obligation of the Law so that a man is bound to do what the Law requires But also and that especially to be under the imperfection of the Law as it commandeth men to do these and these things but doth not help them as the Gospel doth to perform those her commands It is not to be doubted but that in the time of the Law that is in the time of the Old Testament there were many Jews which were free from the dominion of sin through faith These though they were under the obligation of the Law of Moses because they were bound to do all the commands thereof yet they were not under the imperfection of the Law for through faith they obtained that strength by Christ to resist sin which the Law could not afford for Christ was the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 But now the believing Jews are free not only from the imperfection but also from the obligation of the Law of Moses to wit as the Law was given by Moses the Law being quite abrogated as it was by him given So that they are not bound to keep the Moral Law as it was given by Moses but as it is the Law of Nature and that which Christ would have men observe by his Gospel and to the observation of which he gives them strength and ability But under Grace By Grace understand the Gospel here The Gospel may be called Grace by a Metonymie because it is the word of grace Acts 14.3 And it is called the grace of God Acts 13.43 And 1 Pet. 5 12. because the grace of God is joyned with it They are said to be under the Gospel who have received the Gospel and believed it or do obey it And over such sin hath no dominion For the Gospel containeth most heavenly and unspeakable promises which being embraced by faith do animate the believer to stop his ears against sin And it conferreth the gifts of the holy Ghost upon the believer by which he mortifies sin in his members which hath her full sway in other men and by which he is enabled to work the works of Righteousness The Gospel is the power of God to salvation as the Apostle speaks Chap. 1.16 No wonder therefore that he should say here that sin shall have no dominion ovâ—r them which are under Grace that is which are under the Gospel V. 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace q. d. What then shall we take to our selves a liberty to sin as though because I said we are not under the Law of Moses we were not under any law at all Or shall we take to our selves a liberty to sin because I said we are under Grace as though because we were under Grace God would wink at our sins though we sinned never so freely and never so greedily This objection which the Apostle here prevents ariseth out of a miss-understanding of the words which he used in the former verse viz. ye are not under the Law but under Grace through the ambiguity thereof And he therefore prevents this objection that weak Christians might not take occasion from hence to think that Christianity gave liberty to sin as many which were not friends to Christians would make the world believe it did and that Christians so taught as appeareth Chap. 3.8 Ver. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness These words thus rendred are for the latter part of them defective which defect is thus made up q. d. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether ye yield your selves servants to sin to obey her And so become the Servants of sin which brings men unto death Or whether ye yield your selves Servants unto the Law or doctrine of obedience to obey that and so ye become the Servants of the Law or doctrine of obedience which brings to righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life The words in the Greek are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now some take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here repeated twice after the manner of a Latine Ablative and construe it not Cui to whom as most do but render it Hoc ipso quòd that is in as much as And then are these words
without that defect aforesaid which otherwise they suffer The words then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being thus taken may be thus translated Know ye not that in as much as ye yield your selves servants to obey ye are servants in as much as ye do obey and that either of sin which brings to death or of the Law or doctrine of obedience which leads to righteousness The Apostle argues here and in the verses following against the foresaid Objection which some might by a miss-construction of his words raise out of the former verse as though by those words he gave there a freedom to sin And in his arguing he useth this methode First he lays this for a ground that Christians they at least to whom he wrote were the Servants of Righteousness and not of sin Secondly he builds this upon that or infers this from that That being they were the servants of Righteousness and not of sin they ought to obey Righteousness and not sin That which he lays for his ground he lays and makes good in the 16 17 18 verses That which he builds upon that and infers from that he doth in the 19 verse but yet he doth it not in Categorical terms but winds it up in an Exhortation as his manner sometimes is The ground to wit That they were the servants of Righteousness and not of sin he makes good by a Syllogism thus To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whatsoever he be And this he lays down ver 16. But ye have yielded your selves servants to righteousness to obey her and not to sin to obey her And this he lays down ver 17. Therefore ye are the servants of Righteousness and not of sin This he lays down ver 18. The Major proposition of this Syllogism needed not any proof it is cleer they themselves knew it therefore he saith Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey ver 16. The Minor proposition he proves first by removing that which might be objected in the behalf of sin against it Secondly by shewing that which would make for Righteousness by matter of fact and both of these he doth ver 17. Of sin He speaks of Sin still as of a Person yea a Queen to whom to obey is to sin Vnto death That is which bringeth unto death yea death eternal Of obedience Obedience is to be taken here for the Law or Doctrine of obedience by a Metonymie as is plain by the next ensuing verse The Gospel may be called the Law or doctrine of obedience because it teacheth men to follow not their own sence and the motions of sin but to obey God who only is to be obeyed and not only teacheth them but enableth them also to obey him which may be called an inward teaching The Apostle speaketh of obedience that is of the Gospel which is the Law or Doctrine of obedience as of a person yea as a Queen by a Prosopopoeia Vnto Righteousness i. e. Which leadeth unto Righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life Ver. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine delivered to you The sence of these words is this q. d. But for which ye have cause to thank God whereas ye had been the servants of sin and obeyed her ye have now at length obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you Note that the Apostle doth not give God thanks here for that they were sometimes the slaves or servants of sin as though that had been the gift or blessing of God to them for which they ought to give thanks for that would be absur'd but he gives thanks to God for that that they had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered them whereas they had in foretime been the servants and slaves of sin This giving of thanks therefore must be referred to the latter sentence not to the former And for such progress of the Gospel we ought to give God thanks as well as for the Gospel it self See Chap. 1.8 This phrase ye were the servants of sin is as much as whereas ye have been the Servants of sin Like phrase to this we meet with in many places See one Luk. 15. ver 23 24. In these words Let us eat and be merry for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine c. By this Doctrine he means the Gospel with its precepts and commands And by obeying is meant believing and doing according to it He speaks of this doctrine as of a Queen or Lady or Mystress by a Prosopopoeia This is that which he gives God thanks for to wit that they obeyed the Gospel by which giving of thanks we are admonished First that to obey the Gospel is the gift of God Secondly we are admonished that to obey the Gospel is a great blessing and so to be esteemed From the heart i. e. Not only in shew and outward appearance but also in truth and in inward sincerity as your holy conversation will testifie That form of doctrine By the doctrine here mentioned is meant the Gospel which is also called the doctrine of Christ 2 John 9. This doctrine he calls a form or mould and saith the form or mould of Doctrine by a Metaphor taken from a form or mould which Goldsmiths or some such Crafts-men use to cast an Image or thing in that they would form into any shape For as that Silver or Gold or whatsoever mettal else it is which is cast in such a form or mould is made like unto it So should they which believe the Gospel conform themselves and their lives unto the Gospel that they may represent it and carry the likeness of it in their lives and actions Ver. 18. Being then made free from Sin ye became c q. d â—herefore being made free from sin yee became c. This is the conclusion of the Syllogism which we spoke of Being made free from Sin ye became the servants of Righteousness Righteousness is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the Gospel which containeth precepts and prescripts of Righteousness or for the Laws prescripts and precepts of Righteousness therein contained He speaks both of Sin and Righteousness as of Ladies Queens or Mistresses by a Prosopopoeia Being then made free from Sin When a Man is so weak and so unable by his custome in sin or otherwise to resist the motions and temptations of Sin as that he is overcome with every little temptation this his â—state the Apostle calls an estate of servitude and thus to yield to every little temptation of sin he calls to serve Sin by a Metaphor When therefore we receive grace from Christ and strength and ability to withstand the motions and lusts
long as it standeth in force and is not abrogated Surely you do For the case between them which were under the law and the law it self is as the case which is between a woman and her husband 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed from the law of the husband 2. Now then as the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband to cleave to him and to take him onely for her husband so long as he liveth but if her husband be dead she is free from the Law by which she was bound to her husband to have him only and may now lawfully be married to another man So the man whâ—ch is under the Law of Moses is bound to that Law so that he cannot free himself from the obligation thereof and betake himself to any other praescript of Religion so long as that Law which is as it were an husband to him liveth and is in force but if the Law which is as his husband be dead and out of force he may betake hâ—mself to another praescript of Religion without offence 3. So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an Adulteresse but if her husband be dead she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man 3. So then as if while her husband liveth the wife be married to another man she is an adulteresse But if her husband be dead she is free from the Law that bound her to that her husband onely and she is now no adulteresse though she be married to another man Even so a man which is under the Law as a wife under her husband if while the Law liveth and is in force he betakes himself to another manner of Religion is a kind of adulteress and may suffer punishment for so doing But if the Law be dead and out of force he is now free from the Law and is no adulteress though he betake himself and is married to another praescript of Religion 4. Wherefore my Brethren ye also are becom dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we shovld bring forth fruit unto God 4. Wherefore Brethren that ye may not be accounted as spiritual whores or adulteresses by being married to another husband because ye were once under the Law of Moses and married as it were to that as to an husband The Law is become dead being mortified by the body of Christ upon the Crosse that ye should be lawfully married to another even to Christ the Author and Subject of the Gospel which is a prescript of Religion different from that of the Law who though he was dead yet is raised from the dead again that we should bring forth good works as Children to him who though he was Man yet was God also 5. For when ye were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death 5. And this that we should bring forth good works as children to him is but just and aequal for when we were under the law in a carnal and fleshly condition the motions of sin which were occasioned by the law did work so in our members as that they brought forth evil works as children unto the law as the law is the ministration of death 6. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter 6. But now we are delivered from the Law the Law being dead under which we were held that we should serve God and his Christ in that new kind of life which the Gospel worketh and not live in that old course of sin which was occasioned by the lavv 7. What shall we say then Is the law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not covet 7. But because I said we were delivered from the Law and that we should not live in that old course of sin which was by the law what shall we conclude from thence Shall we conclude from thence that the law is a genuine cause of sin God forbid Nay to confute that I had not known sin at least so vvell as novv I do but by the lavv For I had not knovvn sin to have been sin in the invvard motions and desires thereof though they broke not out into outvvard act except the lavv had said as it saith in the tenth Commandment thou shalt not covet 8. But sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence For without the Law sin was dead 8. But yet Sin taking occasion by that Commandment of the law viz. Thou shalt not covet vvrought in me all manner of lust and concupiscence for before the law entred sin lay as it vvere a sleep yea and vvas dead in comparison of vvhat she vvas after the Lavv came in 9. For I was alive without the law once but when the commandment came sin revived and I died 9. For that I might here feign such a Person as had lived both before the law and under the law and put on such a Person the better to teach what I am about to teach I lived an innocent life once before the law was given by Moses in comparison of what I lived afterwards But when the law was given by Moses and that commandment of the law viz. Thou shalt not covet came to my knowledge sin shewed her strength and power by stirring up all manner of lusts in me and I died to innocency so that I was not so innocent and unblamable now as I was before 10. And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death 10. And that commandment viz. Thou shalt not covet which was given and ordained of God as a means to bring men to an holy and righteous life and which rewarded them with life that kept it I found by experience to be an occasion to bring me to death the death to innocency first and after that to death everlasting 11. For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 11 For sin taking occasion by that commandment allured me with the baits of pleasure and honour and profit and the like which she pretended to me to follow her motions contrary to the Commandment and so I following her she deceived me and by it slew me by depriving me of that innocency which otherwise I should have retained and making me guilty of eternal death 12. Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good 12. Wherefore notwithstanding what I
himself to be free from the law and under the Gospel Brethren The Apostle speaketh here particulary to the Jews as appeareth by the subsequent words for not the Gentiles but the Jews only know the Law as being trained up in it from their youth He may call these Jews Brethren not only for that that they embraced the same faith of Christ with him but for that also that they were of the stock of Abraham as he was I speak to them which know the Law Take the Law here for the whole word of God as it is contained in the Old Testament as it was also taken Cap. 3.19 By this the Apostle describes the Jews whom he speaks to in this language because none better knew that whereof he was about to speak than they For none better knew that it was unlawfull for a Jew which was under the Law of Moses to depart from that Law than the Jew did nor did any know better what the Law of marriage was than they did for those things where no where plainer and better set down than in the Law that is in the Old Testament which was committed to the Jews It was the custom of the Jews especially such as did not live in extream want for such were fain for the most part to work early and late and to set their children to work too to earn victuals for the belly to instruct and train up their children in the reading and knowledge of the Law Therefore the Apostle may well say when he speaks to the Jews that he speaks to them which know the Law How that the Law hath dominion over man so long as he liveth i. e. How that the Law of Moses hath dominion over a man which is under it that is over a Jew so that he cannot leave or forsake the Law so long as the Law stands in force and is not abrogated but is to stick to the Law and observe it during that time The Law is to be taken here for the whole Law of Moses as it was given by Moses as it is also taken Chap. 6.14 which place see And the Dominion here spoken of is such a dominion or power as an husband hath over a wife which is such as that a wife must obey her husband and stick to him and not depart from him and marry another man as not being her own but her husbands so long as her husband liveth And this dominion is here Metaphorically attributed to the Law For the Apostle while he speaks here of the Law and those which are under it speaks of them under a Metaphor or Allegory of an husband and a wife where he compareth the Law to an husband and those which are under the Law to a wife And these words As he liveth must be referred not to the word Man but to the word Law q. d. so long as the Law liveth And note here that he speaks of the Law as of a Person yea an husband by a Prosopopoeia and therefore saith of it sometimes that it liveth as here Sometimes that it is dead as ver 6. when he meaneth only the standing of the Law in force or the abrâ—gation or cessation thereof That the Law hath dominion over a man so long as he liveth The Apostle grants here to the believing Jew that he was indeed sometime under the Law and that he could not free himself from being under the Law which was so long as the Law lived And this he doth that he might the better perswade him that though he was once under the law and that the Law had once dominion over him viz. While it lived Yet now he was not under the Law and that the Law was dead to him and that he was married to another even to Christ As concerning the dominion which the Law had over a man so long as it lived read Deut Chap. 17. ver 2 3 4 5 6. and compare it with Heb. Chap. 10. v 28. Ver. 2. For the woman which hath an husband c. He proveth here that which he said in the foregoing verse viz. that the Law hath dominion over man so long as it liveth And he proveth it from that that the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth which is an Allegoricall argument and therefore brought because as I said before he speaketh of the Law by a Metaphor or Allegory as of an husband and of the man which is under the Law as of a wife The woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth i. e The woman which hath an husband is so bound by the Law to her husband as that she cannot free herself from him and marry another man but must perform the office of a wife to him so long as he liveth The Law which he here speaks of is in special the Law of Matrimony which we read of in the Old Testament and particularly Gen. 2.24 where it is written that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh Which words shew the Indissolubility of Matromony as our Saviour himself teacheth Mat. 19.5 But it may be objected that by the Law of Moses a man might give his wife a Bill of divorcement and put her away Deut. 24.1 How then may one say is the bond of Matrimony in dissoluble or how then is the woman which hath an husband bound to her husband so long as he liveth Answ This objection the Pharisees made in this matter to our Saviour And he answereth it Matth 19.7 8. The sum of which answer is this that what Moses did concerning the Bill of divorce he did rather by permission than approbation and that by reason of the hardness of heart which was in the Jews so that notwithstanding that the Primitive Law of Marriage recorded Gen. 2.24 stood in full force and God would have it so to stand But if her husband be dead she is loosed from the law of her husband i. e. But if her husband be dead she is loosed from the power or dominion which the husband hath over her by the Law of Marriage or she is loosed from that bond by which she was tyed to her husband by that Law The Law of the husband is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the power and dominion which a man hath over his wife by the Law of Marriage Or it is taken for the bond by which a wife is bound to her husband by that Law Ver. 3. If while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an Adulteress i. e. She shall be an Adulteress And as a woman which hath an husband if while her husband liveth she be married to another man becometh an Adulteress So they which are under the Law and so married to the Law as to an Husband if while the Law liveth that is if while the
Law is inforce and not abrogated they do despise the Law and betake themselves to some new form of religion and are married as it were to that they become Spirituall whores and adulteresses She shall be called an Adulteress i. e. She shall be an Adulteress and may justly be caled an Adulteress and suffer punishment as an Adulteress The Hebrews use the words To be called oftentimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be as Isaiah 1.26 Thou shalt be called the City of Righteosness for Thou shalt be a City of Righteousness And Isaiah 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful c. For He shall be wonderful She is free from that Law i. e. She is free from that power or dominion which her husband had over her by that Law to wit the Law of Marriage or she is free from the bond by which she was bound to her husband by that Law See ver 2. Ver. 4. Wherefore my Brethren q. d. Wherefore my Brethren Supple that ye may not be accounted as spiritual whores or adulteresses by being married to another husband because ye were once under the Law and married as it were to that as to an husband c. Note that the Apostle speaks here peculiarly to the Jews as I observed ver 1. Ye also are become dead to the Law q. d. Ye also are become dead to the Law as well as the Gentiles are thereto dead This particle Also speaks that some other were dead to the Law as well as the Jews and they are the Gentiles And indeed the Gentiles were dead to the Law yea rather they were never alive to it or the Law to them I speak as the Apostle here doth of the Law of Moses or of the Law as it was given by Moses for they were never alive to the Law nor the Law to them to whom the Law was never given Now the Law of Moses was never given to the Gentiles by Moses for it is written Psal 147.19 He shewed his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them The Law that was given by Moses was given to those which God brought out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 And by those the Israelites are only meant And Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart c. saith he Deut. 6. ver 4. By the Law is here meant the whole Law of Moses which was abrogated or expired by the death of Christ and thereby ceased to be in force as our Ap stle sheweth here in this verse Note here that this phrase ye are become dead to the law is the same with that The Law is become dead to you For these kinds of figurative phrases are Reciprâ—cal So our Old man is crucified is the same with this We are crucified to the old man so for us to be dead to sin is the same with for sin to be dead to us c. Note also that by order of speech the Apostle should rather have said The Law is become dead to you than to have said ye are become dead to the Law But being the sence is the same he had rather say as he doth than offend the Jews which were zealous of the Law by saying The Law is dead to you which nevertheless he saith covertly ver 6. By the body of Christ By the body of Christ crucified That is by the death of Christ which he suffered in his body upon the Cross As the Apostle saith here We are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ So he saith Ephes 2.15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity where both his body and his flâ—sh must be understood as crucified on the Cross That ye should be married to another even to him that is raised from the dead i. e. That not only ye may but also that ye should be lawfully married to another even Christ The Church is the Spouse of Christ 2 Cor. 10.2 Ephes 5.29 In ordinary marriages if the husband be dead the wife is so at liberty as that she may marry again if she will or not marry if she please and if she be pleased to marry she may marry whom she will But in the marriage between a man and the Law if the Law be dead the man is inded freed from the Law but yet he is not left at liberty to marry or not to marry but he must marry And yet he must not marry whom he will but he must marry Christ so that in this similitude as it is commonly there is some dissimilitude not to be urged If we are married to Christ then must we be under his rule and dominion and willingly submit ourselves to be governed by him and his word as the wife doth to the husband Even to him who is raised from the dead By him that is raised from the dead is meant Christ And well doth he describe Christ by this here because he mentioned Christs death immediately before when he said Ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ For if he had not shewed that Christ who was dead had been raised again from the dead he might have left a doubt how any could be married to Christ when he was dead being that the Law of Marriage is void by the death of the husband ver 2. He describes him also by this to teach us that we should imitate Christ in his Resurrection that is as Christ was raised from the dead so we should rise to a new kind of life But being that many more besides Christ were raised from the dead as he which revived at the touch of Elisha's bones 2 Kings 13.21 and the Shunamites child 2 Kings 4.25 and Lazarus John 11.43 The widdow of Naims son Luke 7.15 and many of the Saints whose bodies arose Matth. 27.52 How can this that he was raised from the dead be the proper Character of Christ Answ Though many were raised from the dead yet where they not so raised from the dead as not to die again as Christ was raised For it is conceived by some that there was none of all those that were raised from the dead but died again except only Christ Jesus yet if we grant that some were so raised as that they died not again as many conceive of those who were raised at our Saviours Resurrection Matth. 27.52 yet was there a difference between their resurrection and the Resurrection of Christ For Christ was raised by his own power John 2.19 but they were raised up by the power of another even of Christ That we should bring forth fruit unto God The end of marriage is the procreation of children which are called in Scripture The fruit of the womb Psal 127.3 And are the fruit of the marriage-bed The Apostle therefore continueth his Allegory of marriage or
means the abrogation or expiration thereof but he speaks of the Law as of an Husband by an Allegory therefore saith rather That being dead wherein we were held than That being abrogated or expired wherein we were held Wherein we were held The particle In in Wherein is to be taken here for under So is the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek here interpreted under Matth. 7.6 In those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translatours render under their feet That we should serve i. e. That being now married unto Christ and so strengthned by his Grace in the inward man we should serve Christ or we should serve God We should serve Supple God or serve Christ. The Apostle seemeth here to leave his Allegory of an Husband and Wife and Children and to speak more plainly and literally than he did before For whereas he saith here That we should serve he said in the same sence before That we should bring forth fruit ver 4. In newness By newness understand here Newness of life or a new kind or course of life rather by an Hebraism a kind or course of life different from that which we led before while we were under the Law and in the flesh In newness therefore is by a new life Before they led a sinful and ungodly life Now he would have them to lead a Righteous and a Godly life Of Spirit i e. Which the Spirit that is which the Gospel worketh or is able to work under which ye are brought For the Spirit is opposed here to the letter that is to the Law and what is more usually opposed to the Law than the Gospel So is it opposed and so is the word taken 2 Cor. 3.6 The Gospel is called the Spirit because of the Spirit of God which goeth along with it wherby man is brought to believe the Gospel and is renewed and strengthened to walk according to the Gospel by reason of which Spirit accompanying it it is also called the power of God unto salvation Chap. 1.16 To serve God therefore in newness of Spirit is to serve God by a new course of life such a course of life as the Gospel doth not only require of us but enable us also to lead For they which are under the Gospel are both required and enabled by the Gospel to lead a new life And not in the oldness of the letter i. e. And not with our old manner of living or with our old course of life which we led while we were under the Law and which was occasioned by the Law This the Apostle adds and speaks with a kind of Sarcasm because many Jews were so addicted to the Law as that they would hardly here of the abrogation or expiration of the Law as though that life which they lead under the Law before they were engrafted into Christ or had received his Gospel or his Grace was a life pleasing unto God And not in the oldness Oldness is to be taken here by an Hebraism for our old course and manner of living which was a course of life led in sin occasioned by the Law In is to be taken here for With after the Hebrew manner Of the Letter The letter is to be taken here for the Law of Moses that is for the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without the grace of the Gospel as it was taken Chap. 6 14 c. He calls the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without grace the Letter because it was described by Letters that is because it was written or given in writing and because it was in a manner but as a bare Letter or bare writing only which had no more or little more power to make a man good than by telling him what was good and commanding him to do it And being the Law was but a bare letter and did in a manner tell a man only what was good and command him to do it it did by Accident when he was bad make him worse for except a Carnal man hath grace given him to keep the commandments he runs contrary to the commandments and grows the worse by being commanded When therefore the Apostle saith And not in the oldness of the Letter we must not understand the words so as if he meant only thereby their old course of life led under the Letter that is under the Law But we must also understand them so as that he meant thereby that that course of life was occasioned at least in part by the Letter that is by the Law while they were under it as will appear by the Objection following and by the eighth verse So that these Genitives of the Spirit and of the Letter may be taken for Genitivi Efficientis Ver. 7. What shall we say then i. e. What shall we conclude then from that which we said viz. From that The Law is dead by the body of Christ And from that that we called Our former oldness The oldness of the Letter Is the Law sin q. d. Shall we conclude that the Law is a true and Genuine cause of sin Sin is to be taken here by a Metonymie for the cause of sin and the Law is to be taken here as it was taken Chap. 6.14 and Chap. 7. ver 1. 4. And as it signifieth the same with the Letter ver 6. God forbid By these words as he did before the Apostle detesteth and putteth from himself the thought of such a thing or such a conclusion as this is that the Law is a true and genuine cause of sin Nay I had not known sin i. e. Nay so far is the Law from being a true and genuine cause of sin as that I had not known sin at least so well as now I do c. But by the Law i e. But by the Law which was given in writing by Moses which did forbid sin If the written Law did forbid Sin and make it at least more known to be Sin than otherwise it would be by forbidding it surely the Law was not the genuine cause of Sin nor did it prompt or move thereunto For I had not known Lust Supple to be a Sin That is For I had not known that the inward lust and inward desire onely of that which is evil though it did not break out into any outward Act was Sin at least so well as now I do Thou shalt not covet This is the tenth Commandment of the Decalogue the Apostle omits here the object which is mentioned by Moses in that commandment viz. Thy neighbours house thy neighbours wife c. for brevities sake But though in that commandment at large there is no other object named but that which is the object of the Sixth and that which is the object of the seventh Commandment yet the object of this Commandment seems to me to be as large as the object of all the other nine
For how else should Sin take occasion by this Commandment to work in him all manner of concupiscence Ver. 8. But Sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence i. e. But yet though the Law is not sin and that I had not known sin but by the Law sin which dwelleth in me ver 20 taking occasion by that Commandment Thou shalt not covet wrought in me all manner of concupiscence that is all manner of lusts which at length broke out into open sins How sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought all manner of Concupiscence in the man whom Paul personates is diversly set out by diverse men Some say that sin took occasion by that to wit the tenth Commandment to work all manner of concupiscence in that man because there was no penalty annexed to that commandment as there was to others And Magna est peeccandi illecebra impunitatis spes as the Orator speaks the hope of going unpunished is a great allurement to sin Other say that sin took occasion by the tenth Commandment to work all manner of concupiscence in him because that Commandment bound a man most strictly from sin and the more a man is restrained and kept in by a Law the more sin stirs him up to break that Law Quod non licet acrius urget That which is forbidden doth the more stir up a man to do it And Quicquid licet minus desideratur Ergo è contrario quicquid non licet fomentum accipit desiderii saith Hier. tom 1. ep 151. 1. That which we may lawfully do we less desire to do therefore on the contrary whatsoever is forbidden proves as fuel to our lust Other say that sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in him all manner of Concupiscence because when the Commandment was given to him written in fair Letters he thought that it was enough for him to know it and neglected the more the keeping of it see Chapter 2.13 We may joyn all these together in this matter and say that they whom Saint Paul personates here some by one some by another of these ways took occasion by the Law to sin and perhaps it will not be amisse to mention here the Rebellion stubbornness and stiff neckedness of the Jews which were under under the Law and whom Saint Paul here Personates for they were a stiff necked people Deut. 9.6.9.7 I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck Behold while I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death saith Moses to them Deut. 31.27 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye who received the Law by disposition of Angels and have not kept it saith Saint Stephen to the Jews Acts. 7. ver 51 52 53. Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence i. e. Wrought in me all manner of lust and evil desires as lust to whoredome lust to adultery lust to luxurie lust to Drunkenness lust to Envy c. Which being reteined in the breast with delight grew at length so strong as that they broke out into outward Acts. For without the Law sin was dead i. e. For before the Law was given by Moses sin was in a manner dead and not so active nor vivacious in me as she was after the giving of the Law He speaks of sin as of one that had life by a Prosopopoeia Sin is said to live when shâ— stirs up lusts and motions to evill in us and the more and greater her life is the more and greater lusts she stirreth up in us Sin was not absolutely dead before the Law came for she stirred up lusts to evil even then but she was not so vigorous and so vivacious in stirring up lusts in carnal men before the Law came as she was afterwards So then she was said to be dead before the Law Comparatè that is in comparison of what she was when the law was given though she lived even before the Law Ver. 9. For I was alive without the Law once i. e. For I was alive to innocency once to wit when I was without the Law or before the Law was given Supple incomparison of what I was when the Law came Note that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was alive must be interpreted here of an innâ—cent life or a life to innocency and so must carry a moral signification And must be so understood not as though he or rather he whom he personates did live then an absolute innocent life but that he lived a life which was innocent in comparison of that life which he lived after the Law came But when the Commandment came sin revived and I died But when the Law and commandment was given by Moses sin got life and lived strongly and vigorously in me and I died to innocency daily growing every day worse and worse Sin revived The word which is rendred here Revived is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is compounded of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivo to live and note that this preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it doth for the most part change the signification of the word before which it is prefixea in composition yet it doth not always so but it is sometimes redundant as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the same as the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvo to loose sometime it augments the signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clamo to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exclamâ— to cry aloud See Hen. Steph. Thesaur vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to this we may say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth here simply to live or else to live a strong and vigorous life But yet when the Apostle said of sin in the former verse that she was dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken here as it is most usually taken for revived for what is the passage from death to life but a reviving And I died To wit daily to Innocency This dying is opposed to that living which he said he lived in the former part of the verse Note here that it is not unusual with the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he himself speaketh 1. Cor. 4.6 that is in a figure to transfer that to himself which hath been acted by other persons you may see Examples thereof 1 Cor. 6.12 And 1 Cor. 10. ver 23 29 30 And 1 Corinth 13.2 And Galat. 2.18 Now therefore under correction I conceive that the Apostle doth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also and speak that in his own person which was acted in the persons of others that is that the Apostle personates here the people of Israel both whâ—ch lived b fore the Law and which lived under the Law which was given
by Moses and so personates them as if they were but one single person Theophylact. and Saint Chrysostome before him interpret this place by such a figure This figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of personating others the Apostle doth especially use when he speaks of things which would not be so pleasing to them to whom they truely be long and he doth it First for modesty sake and secondly that he might give the lesse offence to them Ver. 10. And the Commandment which was ordained to life and the Commandment which was ordained of God for this end that they to whom it was given might lead an innocent holy and just life And by so living might attain to an happp and blessed life as a reward thereof I found to be unto death i. e. I found to be an occasion to bring me to death viz. a death to innocencie and holiness and righteousness first and then to the guilt of aeternal death as a reward or punishment of that former death Ver. 11. For sin taking occasion by the Commandment c. Note here that the Law did not if we speak properly so much as give an occasion to sin to stir us up to evill But sin took an occasion by the Law He speaks of sin as of a Person Deceived me He saith deceived me because sin guilds over her baits and her evil mot ons with the appearance of some good which though they are apprehended as good appear at last in their own colours even evill as they are so that the Sinner at length sees that he was deceived by them And by it slew me It slew him by taking away his life of innocency first And then making him guilty of aeternall death Ver. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy i. e. Wherefore the Law is separate f om all evill that is Wherefore the Law is good notwithstanding that which hath been objâ—cted against it To be holy signifieth properly to be separate from other things by way of eminency and in a partâ—cular manner that is said to be holy which is separate from all manner of naughtiness This conclusion or inference is drawn chiefly from those words Viz. I had not known Sin but by the Law c. And the Commandment holy and just and good By the Commandment is meant the tenth Commandment as before This Commandment may be saâ—d to be holy because it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate dishonour of God And just in that it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate hurt of our Neigbour and good in that it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate hurt of our selves There is a difference between a Law and a Commandment for a Law is a body of commands or commandments given by a Law-giver As when we say The Law of Moses or the Law of Christ each of which contains many particular commands But a Commandment is but a particular mandat or praecept or branch of a Law which commands or forbids some particular or special thing to be done or left undone Ver. 13. Was then that which is good made death unto me i. e. Was then the Commandment which is in it self good the cause of death to me Or was the Commandment which was in it self good the cause why I died to Innocency first and then through that became guilty of eternal death That which is good By that which is good he meaneth the Commandment of which he spoke in the foregoing verse And under the name of good he comprehends here that which he called Holy and Just and Good before God forbid See ver 7. But sin Supple was made the cause of death to me That it might appear sin i. e. So that it did appear to be sin indeed sin in her own colours by those effects which she wrought in me Note that the particle That is here a note or sign of the Event Working death in me by that which is good i e. By working death or because she wrought death in me by the Commandment which was good The death here spoken of may be understood not only of death to Innocency but also of Eternal death of which the death to Innocency makes the nocent man guilty That Sin by the Commandment might become exceedingly sinful i. e. So that Sin taking occasion by the Commandment and by that working all manner of Concupiscence in me did shew her self exceedingly Sinful He speaks of Sin as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia and therefore calls Her sinfull Ver. 14. For we know that the Law is spiritual i. e. For we all very well know that the Law is Spiritual and commands spiritual things The Law is spiritual The Law is said to be spiritual because it commands spiritual things and ordereth of it self to a spiritual life And now if the Law be such it cannot be made death or be the cause of death in it self to any one By this he proves what he said first in the former verse viz. that that which is good that is That the Law was not made death unto him But I am carnal sold under Sin But I at my best estate am carnal being addicted to the affections and lusts of the flesh which move me contrary to the Law and am carried away with them yea I am as very a servant or slave to Sin as he which is bought or sold in a market is a slave or servant to him which bought him By this he proves that which he said last in the former verse viz. That it was Sin which was made death unto him Note here that the Apostle speaks in the person of one which was under the Law yet which had attained to the highest degree in that Estate that a man could attain to which was not yet in Christ For every one which was under the Law had not such a mind as he here speaks of in the latter part of this Chapter And there were divers degrees of them which were under the Law Suppose therefore that the Apostle speaks here of such an one as that Scribe was which our Saviour speaks of Mark 12.34 of whom he says that he was not far from the Kingdom of God Sold under Sin i. e. As very a servant or slave to sin as he which is bought or sold in a Market is a servant or slave to him that buyes him He alludes here to servants or slaves which are bought and sold in a Market to be under the power or command of the Buyer so that to be sold under Sin is as it were to be sold to Sin to be under her and her command As he alludes here to a servant or slave which is bought or sold in a Market So he alludes to a servant or slave which is taken in the wars ver 23. When S. Paul saith here that he is carnal sold under Sin And when he saith ver 23. I see another Law in my members warring against the
Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin It seemeth to be most probable under correction that S. Paul speaks not here either in his own person or in the person of a Regenerate man For the Law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the Law of Sin and of death saith S. Paul while he speaks in the person of a Regenerate man Chap. 8.2 And Chap. 8. ver 9. speaking to those which are in Christ Jesus he saith ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit that is ye are not carnal but spiritual if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And Chap. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live S. Paul therefore speaks not here in his own person nor in the person of a Regenerate man but in the person of a man that is under the Law and unregenerate and as yet without Christ but yet not far from the Kingdom of God as I said before Ver. 15. For that which I do I allow not c. In this verse he proves that which he said in the latter part of the former verse To wit that he was sold under Sin That is that he was as very a servant or slave to sin as he which is bought in a Market is to him which buys him For a servant or slave which is so bought is not at his own disposal or under his own power to do any thing which he himself likes or would do but is at the disposal of his Lord and Master which bought him and is under his power to do whatsoever he would have him to do That which I do I allow not i. e. That which I do I approve not of in my mind as of a thing well done Note that these words I do extend further than to positive doing for they extend aswel to what he did not as to what he did as will appear by the subsequent words where that which is here spoken in generall and in gross is divided into particulars For what I would that I do not q d. For whereas I have at sometimes some light desire and will to do that which is good and which is câ—mmanded by the Law of God I do it not but am drawn away from it by contrary lusts and affections of Sin He speaks here of a light and inefficacious will to do good He proves also here that he was sold under Sin But what I hate that do I But whereas I am unwillng many times to do that which the Law forbids yet I do it being drawn by contrary lusts and affections of Sin to do it The hate here spoken of is not to be understood of a perfect hatred but of some light unwillingness neither is this unwillingness to be thought to be in him at all times when he sins against a Negative Law or Command but at sometimes onely And as this hatred is but a light unwillingness to do that which he doth So is that willingness to do that which he doth not a light and in efficacious willingness and such as takes him only at sometimes The word rendred I hate is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not always signifie a perfect hatred as may be seen Gen. 29 31. Mat. 10 37. John 12. 25 c. Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor Saith Medea in the Poet. I see better things and allow of them in my judgement but I follow and do those which are worse Such an affection as is in the Poets Medea is in the man which the Apostle here personates or somewhat better Ver. 16. I do that which I would not These words are the same for sence and Latitude with those words of the former verse viz. That which I allow not And the Inference or Conclusion mentioned or collected here in this verse is drawn from thence If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good The Consequence of what the Apostle here says depends upon that which yet is a true supposition that what he would not do he would not do because it was forbidden by the Law Note that from the discourse immediately foregoing the Apostle draws a double conclusion one contained in this verse whereby he proves that the law was good and therefore Spiritual in relation to what he said ver 14 viz. For we know that the law is Spiritual The other in relation to what he said in the same verse viz. But I am carnal sold under sin which conclusion is contained or set down in the verse following in those words Now then it is no more I that do but Sin which dwelleth in me Ver. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me This conclusion is drawn not from the Sixteenth but the fifteenth verse of this Chapter and relates thither q. d. Now then if I do that which I allow not of according to my mind it is no more I that do it to wit as I am under the law and taught and directed thereby but Sin that dwelleth in me and so by Consequence I am as I said I was verse 14. Carnal sold under Sin It is no more I that do it i. e. It is not I that do it viz. as I am taught and directed by the Law Or he may say that he did it not but Sin which dwelleth in to shew that sin swayed him to do what he did when he would not do it For when two causes concur to one effect the effect is oftentimes attributed to the prime and principal cause and denied to that which is less principal though that did act also So S. Paul saith that he laboured more than all the other Apostles yet not he but the Grace of God which was with him 1 Cor. 15.10 Where he attributes his labour to the Grace of God which was the Principal cause of that his labour and denies himself to be cause thereof because though he did labour himself himself was the less principal cause of that his labour No more The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes redound and become superfluous in a sentence But Sin that dwelleth in me By Sin he means here that Sin or those Sins to which he was accustomed and which reigned in him or had dominion over him which Sins are said to dwell and may be said to reign in him by reason of those habits which they through custom and often repetition had produced in him And as Sin is said to dwell in a man by reason of that vitious habit which she produced in him So on the contrary is the holy Ghost said to dwell in us by reason of the gifts which it infuseth into us 1 Cor. 3.16
Note that the Apostle speaks here of such as had lived long in sin yea from their Infancy as will appear as by many passages of the Text from the Sixth Chapter hitherto so from those words viz. Not in the Oldness of the Letter ver 6. which occasioned the discourse which followeth from thence to the end of this Chapter The Apostle speaks of Sin as of a Person and as he speaks of Sin as of a Person so he speaks of himself as of an house in which this Person dwelleth And by that that he saith that Sin dwelleth in him he shews that she reigned in him and bore rule and swaid there as the Master of a family doth in his own dwelling house for to this the Apostle seems to allude To dwell signifies sometimes to be as a Lord or Master in an house As Psal 84.12 I had rather be a Door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell that is than to be a Lord or Master in the tents of wickedness Ver. 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing i e. He proves by this that Sin dwelleth in him For by that which is good he means a spiritual good and such a spiritual good as with which reigning Sin cannot consist For the good which he here speaks of is as opposite to Sin mentioned in the former verse which is reigning sin as light to darkness or heat to cold So that if this good dwelt in him that Sin would not dwell in him and that Sin will dwell in him till this good takes possession in him When therefore he says I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing There is a Synechdoche Generis in the word good And he alludes to a Master or Mistress of an house in the word dwells as he did by the same word in the former verse I know To wit by Experience That in me Those words the Apostle corrects or limits by the words following viz. by those That is in my Flesh that he might exempt his mind from that which he saith of his other parts or faculties in this verse For in them he says there dwelleth no good but in his mind there dwelleth some good in that the mind knoweth the Law of God and assents to it as good and propounds it as good to the will and so serves the Law of God as he speaks ver 25. In my flesh He opposeth the flesh here to the mind which he speaks of ver 23. 25. And which he calls the Inward Man ver 22. And whatsoever is not the Mind he comprehends under the name of Flesh the will it self not excepted by reason of the corruption and vitiousness which is in it For the Apostle calls Idolatry Witchcraft hatred variance emulation strife seditions which are the Acts of a vitious Will the works of the Flesh Gal. 5.19 yet though the Will be vitious and corrupt in such a man he may have sometimes a light and inefficacious Will or desire to do that which is Good For to Will is present with me i. e. For I can yea often do will that which is good and according to the Law and have a light desire to do it This will or desire which he speaks of is a weak and inefficacious will and desire But how to perform that which is good I find not i. e. But I find not any thing to help me or assist me to do or perform that good efficaciously which I would do Ver. 19. For the good that I would I do not See this verse expounded ver 15. This was brought as an Argument ver 15. to prove that it was Sin that made him do what he did Here it is brought as an Argument to prove that he had no spiritual good dwelling in his Flesh or to bear rule there and to reign over sin Ver. 20. Now if I do what I would not it is not I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me See ver 17. Ver. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me The word rendred then is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred Immo Vtique Profecto yea truly verily I render it therefore thus Yea I find a Law that is I find that when I would do good there is that in my flesh which stirs me up to do that which is evil q. d. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing yea I find that when I would do good there is that in me that is in my flesh which stirs me up to that which is evil and naught and which I would not do I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me There is an Ellypsis in these words leaving therefore their liberties to other I conceive that the whole Sentence must run thus I find a Law that is I find that when I would do good evil is present with me The Apostle breaks off therefore when he had said I find a Law and leaving that abrupt assumes a speech aequivalent to that which he would have said which is this I finde that when I would do good evil is present with me A Law The Apostle takes the word Law by a Catachresis sometime for that which is a motive or incentive to that which is good as ver 23. Where he mentioneth the Law of his mind And sometimes again for that which is a motive or incentive to that which is evil as ver 23. when he saith I see another Law in my members warring c. And this he doth because a Law properly taken doth move and incite those to whom it is given by her promise of rewards to do those things which she commands Here he takes it for a motive or incentive to evil Evil is present with me By evil he means that which incites him and stirs him up to that which is evil by a Metonymy In particular by evil he means here the carnal concupiscence or carnal appetite or carnal desires and affâ—ctions which are in him and which stir him up to embrace and follow those things which are naught and sinful for him to do That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Evil here he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Law in his members ver 23. Ver. 22. For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man i. e. For I delight in the Law of God or some commands thereof according to what my inward man that is my mind or understanding propounds to me The delight which he here speaks of is but a short and imperfect and an inefficacious delight and such a delight may be in an unregenerate man for our Saviour tels of one who heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it but hath no root in himself c. Mat. 13.20 21. And surely such a one is not a regenerate man This delight is
in his will as we may gather from those words ver 15. What I would do not And from those words ver 18. To will is present with me In the Law of God By the Law of God he means the Law which was given by Moses and yet perhaps his delight might be not the whole Law but only in some particular commands thereof when he saith I delight in the Law of God after the inward man c. After the inward man The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e according to the inward man where the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a conformity to a thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Non facium secundum Regis literas i. e. They will not do according to the Kings Letters or as the Kings Letters direct them or would have them to do Note that the inward man or the mind that is not the subject here of this delight here spoken of but the will rather or the reasonable appetite is the subject thereof for the mind is not properly said to rejoyce or delight in any thing but the mind propoundeth the Law of God to the will as a thing delectable and perswadeth her to delight in it and to practise it and the Will doth take some small delight in it or in somethings which it commands and would practice them according to what the mind propounds to her perswades her to do but her willingness is imperfect and in efficacious By the inward man he means the mind as appeareth ver 25. which be calls a Man per Senechdochen integri and the inward man because the mind and the operations thereof are remote from the senses of other men so that they cannot perceive them in themselvs Note that whereas the Apostle doth elsewhere make mention of the old man and the new man these are not the same with the outward man and the inward man here for the old man and the new man are so called per Metonymiam subjecti by reason of the diverse qualities in man But the outward man and the inward man are so called per Senechdochen by reason of the parts of a man Ver. 23. But I see another Law in my members i. e. But I find or perceive another mover or actor in my body I see That is I find or perceive by experience He speaks here after the manner of the Hebrews which call all sensations and perceptions by the name of seeing Another Law What he means here by a Law in a general sence see Notes ver 21. In particular he calls the motions of the carnal appetite which some call also concupiscence a Law here In my members i. e. In my body Synechdoche Warring against the Law of my mind i. e. Warring against my mind which is as a Law Or warring against the dictates of my mind which are as a Law See Notes ver 21. His carnal appetite and concupiscence or his carnal affections are said to war against his mind or the dictates of his mind by a Metaphor taken from wars because the carnal affections and desires which flow from his carnal appetite or concupiscence are contrary to the dictates of his mind for they incite to that which is contrary to the Law of Moses but the dictates of the mind speak well of the Law and say it should be kept And bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin i. e. And overcoming me and taking me as it were a Prisoner and making me a Captive and delivering me up as a slave to sin He persists in his Metaphor taken from the wars where they which are overcome by them which serve the Conqueror in his wars are delivered up to the Conqueror to be made Servants and Slaves at his will To the Law of sin i. e. To sin which is as a Law or to the motions of sin which are as a Law Why sin or the motions of sin are said here to be a Law See Notes ver 21. When the mind or understanding of such a man as the Apostle here personates propounds to his will the Law of God as a thing delectable and to be kept as a thing honest and good and useth motives and perswasions thereunto the will doth sometimes incline to it and produce an act of delight and willingness that way But then the carnal appetite or concupiscence or carnal affections arise in him with their pretences of some apparent good and tempteth the will from that real good which the mind propounded to her to follow them And they being stronger than the mind the Will and the whole man is carried after them and so become guilty of a new sin and are made daily more and more prone to sin than they were before And this is that which the Apostle here sayes under the Metaphor of warring and taking Captive Which is in my members i. e. Which is or which dwelleth in me or in my body Synechdoche Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Better as it is rendred in the margin of our Bibles Who shall deliver me from this body of death That is who shall deliver me from these my deadly enemies Viz. From my carnal affections and from Sin c. He whom Saint Paul personates cries out here in the sense of his sins and the torture of his conscience which is tortured therewith For the wicked'st men that are do sometimes feel the torture and horrour of their conscience for their sins when they seriously think of the Law of God and their own doings It will be no wonder that a man under the Law should cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death When that young mâ—n in the Gospel who was under the Law For we cannot say That he was under grace said unto Christ Good Master What good thing shall I do that I may have â—ternal life Mat. 19. v. 16. From this body of dâ—ath That is from this deadly body that is â—â—om these my deadly enemies which will destroy me and bring me to everlasting death at last He calls his deadly Enemies to wit sin and her lusts and dâ—sires And the Flesh and his carnal affections A Body by a Metaphor drawn from Wars which Metaphor he holds hitherto for an Army is ordinarily called a Body and a Company of Horsemen or Foot-men are called a Body of Horse and Foot And by the like kind of Metaphor particular Sins are called the Body of sin Chap. 6. ver 6. Our Apostle calls sins also the Body of Sins Coloss 2.11 though by another Metaphor Of death That is deadly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of death for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deadly where a Substantive of the Genitive case is put after the Hebrew manner for an Adjective Ver. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord For what he thanks God is not here expressed for there
is an Ellipsis in these words The words therefore may be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath delivered me from this deadly body that is from this company of deadly enemies through our Lord Jesus Christ If we take these words in this sence then we must say that the Apostle speaks these words in his own person as he was regenerated and delivered from the Law and then they are to be read as it were with a Parenthesis He that sees the misery of other men how grievious it is and was in the same misery once himself or liable thereunto and is delivered from it will break out in thanks to God for his great goodness in delivering him upon sense of that mercy The aforesaid words of the Apostle may also be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath shewed me a way how to be delivered from this deadly body or from this body of deadly enemies For he hath made away to deliverance by Jesus Christ our Lord. And this may he speak which is under the Law and yet hath so well profited as that seeing no hope of salvation by the Law sees salvation in Christ though he be not as yet engrafted into Christ for the Law was a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we may be justified by faith saith our Apostle Gal. 3.24 Such a one though he be yet under the Law I account not to be altogether under the imperfection of the Law though he be not yet engrafted into Christ and Regenerate So then with my mind I my self serve the Law of God q. d So then I my self though I am carnal do with my mind serve the Law of God and by so doing do acknowledge that the Law of God is spiritual This hath its immediate connexion with the 21 or 23 verses And he speaks it in the person of such a man as I told of v. 14. He saith that he serves the Law of God with his mind because he approves of the Law of God as good with his mind and propounds it with his mind to his will to be embraced and followed by her as a real good which is the duty of the mind to do and in which the mind by so doing is subservient to the Law of God whose duty is to teach men what they should do and to stir them up to the doing of it But with the flesh the Law of sin What is meant here by flesh See ver 18. By the Law of sin he means sin it self which he calls the Law of sin that it may answer those words The Law of God And because it doth as a Law incite men to follow her lusts which are as it were her commands See ver 21. They serve sin which follow the lusts and desires of sin and put those things in practice which she allureth or inciteth to By saying But with the flesh I serve the Law of sin he acknowledgeth that he is Carnal and sold under sin So that in this last verse he brings up his Conclusion which he draweth from his discourse from the 14. verse hitherto to that which he said in the 14 verse viz. We know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin CHAP. VIII 1. THere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 1. I said Chap. 5. ver 20 21. That when sin abounded grace did much more abound so that as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Wherefore that being so there is now no Condemnation to them which are engrafted by faith into Christ Jesus who are such as walk not after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections but walk after the spirit to wit the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations and so serve not sin 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 2. And let not any one which is in Christ Jesus say nay but I cannot but serve sin For the spirit of Regeneration which giveth life the spirit which we have received by Christ hath made us free from sin which bringeth unto death so that sin hath now no power or dominion over us whereby to make us to obey her will 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 3. I say that the spirit of Regeneration that spirit which giveth life and which we received by Christ I say not that the Law hath made us free from sin For by reason of the impotency of the Law in that it was weak in comparison of sin which dwelt and reigned in us God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man and for this end that he might destory sin hath destroyed sin by his body which was crucified for us by which also he purchased and gave us the Spirit of Regeneration 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 4. That by the spirit of Regeneration which he purchased for us and which he hath given us the Righteousness which the Law prescribes should be fulfilled in us which are justifyed and are engrafted into Christ by faith who are such as walk not after our carnal or sensual appetite and affections But such as walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit 5. I say who are such who walk not after our sensual or carnal appetite or affection but such as do walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations For though they which are carnal love and follow after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections they that are spiritual do love follow after and delight themselves in these things to which the spirit which is in them inclineth them to 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 6. And not without cause for to love follow and delight in those things which the sensual or carnal appetite or affection moveth to will certainly bring everlasting death But to love follow and delight in those things which the spirit of Regeneration inclineth is that which brings everlasting life and peace 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity againsh God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 7. For the man which loves follows after and delights in those things to which his sensual or carnal appetite and affections tempt him to is an
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from sin and death But he saith the Law of the Spirit of life and the Law of sin for the like reason as he said the Law of works and the Law of faith Chap. 3. ver 27 and as he saith the Law of righteousness Chap. 9.31 Note also that when he saith The Law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death he useth a Metaphor drawn from men Enfranchesing slaves and freeing them from that slavery which before time they underwent Note thirdly that the Apostle speaks here in the person of such as were justied by faith and were ingraffed into Christ Jesus as living branches into the living Vine Ver. 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh i. e. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh that God did who sending his own Son in the likeness of a sinful man though he was without sin and for the destruction of sin destroyed sin which reigned in us by his Flesh that is by his Body which was Crucified for us There is an Ellipsis in these words of the Apostle as they are here translated But the words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which may be thus interpreted For by reason of the weakness and imbecillity of the Law in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh God sending his own Son c. The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he said ver 2. The Law of the spririt of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death a man might object and say But what needst thou Paul to say The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death when as the Law which was given by Moses can do this To this the Apostle answers after this manner q. d. I said that the Law of the Spirit of life which is by Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death I said not that the Law which was given by Moses hath done this because the Law which was given by Moses was weak in comparison of the flesh and not so able to draw men after it as the flesh was after it and therefore by reason of the impotency and imbecillity of the Law of Moses in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh God sending forth his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for this end that he might be a Sacrifice for sin and destroy sin hath destroyed sin by his flesh that is by his Body which was made a Scrifice for us For what the Law could not do That which is said of the Law here that it could not do is this viz. That it could not destroy sin The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where first we may understand the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter then take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotentiam or imbecillitatem and then interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Law of Moses thus For by reason of the impotency and weakness of the Law of Moses c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signifie Impossibilis Impossible but Impotens and Imbecillis also Imperfect and Weak and in the Neuter gender with a Prepositive Article Impotentia and Imbecillitas Impotencie and Weakness For that it was weak through the Flesh The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Through is to be taken in a sence of Comparison as I conceive q. d. In that it was weak in comparison of the flesh And the Law of Moses was weak in comparison of the flesh in that the flesh had more power to draw men after it from the Law than the Law had to draw men after it from following the flesh Through the flesh By Flesh understand here the fleshly that is the carnal appetite of a man God sending his own Son Supple into the World This sets forth the love of God in that he would send a Son and that his own Son into the World for such a purpose In the likeness of sinful flesh Flesh is to be taken here by a Synechdoche for the Body that other part of Man and that again by a further Synechdoche for the whole man q d. In the likeness of sinful man Note that the word Likeness doth not relate here to the word Flesh but to the word Sinful For Christ Jesus was true and real Flesh that is true and real Man but yet not truly and really sinful man he was only like such a man for he himself was without sin Christ was made like to sinful man in that he was made subject to infirmities and miseries as sinful man was for his sin Condemned sin i. e. Destroyed or slew sin To Condemn is taken here for to Kill Per metonymiam Antecedentis or Causae For those Malefactors which are condemned to die are put to death after the Sentence of Condemnation is passed on them to which the Apostle here alludes One way by which Christ is said to kill or slay sin is by purchasing and procuring for us by his death and sacrifice the Holy Ghost or such spiritual gifts by which we are able to crucifie or slay sin which reigned in us and after this way may the Apostle seem to be particularly understood in this place if we consider what he saith of the Law of the Spirit of life in the foregoing verse In the flesh i. e. By his Flesh that is by his Body which was made a sacrifice for us In is put here for By and the Flesh is taken here for his Body by a Metonymie and that as sacrificed and offered upon the Cross as Chap. 7.4 Ephes 2.5 Ver. 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us i. e. That we might perform those righteous Commandments which are contained in the Moral Law which was given by Moses so far forth at the least and in such manner as they are necessary to Salvation to which a most exact and a most perfect keeping of the Commandments is not required In us To wit which are in Christ Jesus Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit See verse 1. This the Apostle repeats here that he may shew the truth of it and press it home upon them to whom he wrote Ver. 5. For they that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit q. d. I say who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for they indeed
who are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit as they are which are in Christ Jesus do mind the things of the spirit He grants that of those which are after the Flesh which he denies of those which are after the spirit to wit that they mind the things of the Flesh By them which are after the Flesh he means those that are Carnal The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with a noun substantive turns it to the nature sometimes of an adjective and sometime of a participle Do mind the things of the flesh i. e. Do mind those things which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move them to and delight in them and follow after them Do mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Greek word here and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly spoken of the mind or understanding yet here it is spoken of the Will But they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit By the Spirit he meaneth that which he calleth the Law of the Spirit of life ver 2. And by such as are after the spirit he meaneth such as are spiritual and such are they which are in Christ Jesus ver 9. The things of the spirit i. e. The things to which the spirit inclineth or moveth them to Ver. 6 For to be carnally minded is death Betwixt this and the foregoing verse we may understand these or the like words and it is no wonder or and not without reason q. d. And it is no wonder or it is not without reason that they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death c. He proves here that which he said ver 5. That they which are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit To be carnally minded That is to mind the things of the flesh as ver 5. That is to think of follow and delight in the things to which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move to Is death i. e. Is deadly or that which will certainly bring everlasting death Metonymia effecti He proves here not that they which are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but that they which are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit He that is after the flesh doth not consider that it is death to be carnally minded therefore he mindes the things of the flesh But he that is after the Spirit he knows it and considers it therefore he mindes not the things of the Flesh but of the Spirit To be spiritually minded That is to mind the things of the Spirit as he spoke ver 5. Is life and peace i. e. Is that which will bring life and peace through the goodness and mercy of God For as the wages of sin is death so the gift of God to those that follow his Spirit is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Chap. 6.23 Is life By life understand eternal life and take it Metonymically for the cause or for that which will procure or bring after it such a life And peace By peace understand first after the Hebrew manner the heap or plenty or plentifull return of all good things and then take it Metonymically for that which will procure or bring after it such an heap or plenty or plentifull return Ver. 7. Because the carnall mind is emnity against God i. e. Because he that is carnally minded is an enemy to God The carnal mind is put here by a Metonymy for the man that hath a carnall mind or for the man that is carnally minded or which mindeth the things of the Flesh And enmity is put here for an enemy An Abstract for a Concrete What it is to be carnally minded or to mind the things of the Flesh See verse 5. He proves here that which he said ver 6. To wit that to be carnally minded is death And certainly if to be carnally minded will make us enemies to God it will bring death upon us for all the enemies of God shall be destroyed For it is not subject to the Law of God He proves here that the carnall minded man is an enemy to God and he proves it by this that such a man as is carnally minded doth not obey the Law of God and do as God would have him do and as he is bound to do See Saint James Chap. 4. ver 4. Neither indeed can it be That is neither indeed can he be Subject to the Law of God or obey it to wit so long as he is such Ver. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God q. d. So then they indeed that are in the Flesh c. By those which are in the Flesh he meaneth such as he said were after the Flesh that is such as were carnal Cannot please God i. e. Cannot but walk after the Flesh which is a thing displeasing to God He takes here that that they cannot please God for that that they walk after the Flesh or that that they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the antecedent This phrase therefore Viz. They cannot please God is the same for the sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh and it is occasioned from an objection starting from the first verse though this Corollary or Conclusion be drawn from that which went immediately before If you aske therefore to what end the Apostle drawes this Conclusion and Corollary here for it seemeth that it might have been well spared as not being to the purpose of what he had in hand I answer The Apostle prevented as I said an Objection in the second verse an Objection made against that which he said ver 1. Who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for a weak and faint-hearted Christian though he were in Christ Jesus yet might say in opposition to that yea but I cannot but walk after the Flesh now therefore the Apostle saith here in reference to that That it is true indeed and it would appear out of what he had said That they which were in the Flesh cannot but walk after the Flesh But yet though they cannot but walk after the Flesh yet they which were in Christ Jesus might do otherwise than walk after the Flesh for they which are in Christ Jesus are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so may walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle therefore doth draw this Conclusion here that he might grant so much to the Objection that by granting so much he may the better induce him to yield to that viz. That they that are in the Spirit or They that are in Christ Jesus walk after the Spirit Cannot please God That is cannot while they are such but walk after the Flesh which is displeasing to God He takes here that viz.
Nations are of one kin and brethren after a Spiritual manner Ver. 4. Who are Israelites That is who are descended from Isrrel That is from Jacob and are his children which Jacob or Israel was a man beloved of God and who had this name Israel given him in way of honour by God himself Genes 32.28 The Apostle sets out here in this and the next verse the honour priviledges and Pre-eminences of these which he called his brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh To signifie that he had cause enough thus to grieve as he doth when he considered that they which were so neer allied to him and which had such honour priviledges and preeminences from God should be at last cast off and be rejâ—cted by him and left in such an estate through their own faults as is accompanied or attended with eternal damnation To whom pertaineth the Adoption He speaks not here of that Adoption which he spoke of in the former chapter by which they that are adopted are made heires of everlasting Glory that Adoption belongeth to Christians such as are justified by faith not to natural Jews But he speaks here of that Adoption whereby God passing by all other people made choice of the Jews or Israelites to be to him a peculiar people or Treasure above all people else by reason of which he cherished them and used them as sons and bâ—stowed many blessings upon them For Israel is my son even my first-born saith the Lord Exod 4.22 And again I am a father to Israel Jer. 31.9 And the Glory The Ark of the Covenant is called the Glory 1 Sam. 4.21 22. by a Metonymie because it was a token of the presence of the Glorious God who sat thereupon and gave his Oracles from it And therefore many think that the Apostle meaneth the Ark of God when he saith the Glory But others By the Glory understand the glory which accrued to the people of Israel by that That they were chosen by God to be a peculiar people to him and to be his sons which was indeed a great glory to them and by reason of which God did many glorious things for them and among them For since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable saith the Lord to the people of the Jews Isaiah 43.4 And the Covenants By the Covenants is meant the Moral Law written in two Tables of stone by reason of which writing those Tables were called also the tables of the Covenant Deut. 9.11 That Law was called the Covenant because God made a covenant with the people of Israel concerning keeping of that and that was the matter and subject of the Covenant as it was to be performed on Israels part The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word of the Plural number which is here rendred Covenants but it might be aswell rendred the Covenant in the Singular number for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be it self a word of the Plural number yet it is often put to signifie one single Testament And the Covenant and Testament is all one in the Apostles sence here See Budaeus in his Commentary pag. 507. H Steph. in his Thesaurus in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet some say that the Apostle useth a word of the plural number here viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenants because there were two Tables of the Covenant though the Covenant it self were but One. And the giving of the Law By the giving of the Law understand The Law which was given to wit to the Israelites by God by a Metonymie And by that understand again the Judicial Law per Synechdochen Generis that is that Law which was given to the people of Israel for maintainance of Civil Society among them And the service of God By the service of God understand here the Ceremonial Law which prescribed the manner of Gods Service or how he would be served and worshipped by a Metonymie And the promises To wit All the promises contained in the Old Testament that is all the promises contained both in the books of the Law and of the Prophets Ver. 5. Whose are the Fathers That is whose Progenitors were Abraham and Isaac and Jacob Those most honorable Persons and friends of God The Scripture useth to call those Holy Patriarks Abraham Isaack and Jacob The Fathers per Antonomasiam And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came Christ came of the Israelites as concerning the flesh That is As he was Man in that he took his flesh that is his body of the Virgin Mary who was of the stock of Israel This was a Glory to the Israelites that the Messias was born of them And therefore Simeon calls Christ the Glory of the people Israel Luke 2.32 Who is over all i. e. Which Christ is over all things and all men as their King and Lord. The Apostle in this latter part of the verse sets out the dignity of Christs Person the more to set out the Honour preeminencies and Priviledges which the Jews had God blessed for ever Amen See chap. 1. ver 25. Ver. 6. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect Here the Apostle should have given the reason why he was so grieved for the Jews but he gives it not by reason of this Objâ—ction which he prevents but by reason of this and other Objections He defers it to Chap. 10. ver 1. as I said before Not as though the word of God had taken none effect q. d. But when I say theirs are the promises though I know that they have not attained to Righteousness or Justification but are yet in their sins unpardoned and unjustified I do not make the promise which God made of pardoning the sins of the Israelites and remembring their iniquities no more a void promise and a Promise of none effect or a Promise in which God is not as good as his word c. For the understanding of this place know That among the many Promises which were made to the People of Israel in the old Testament there were some concerning the Remission of sins that is concerning Justification for the Lord saith Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah c. For I will forgive theiâ— iniquity and remember their sin no more And Jerem. 33. v 4. and 8 Thus saith the Lord the Lord the God of Israel I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinnned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and trespasse against me And Micah 7.18 Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniqaity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Now God having made this gratious promise to the Israelites of their Justification a Jew might object against Paul and say Paul Thou accountest of us Jews as
the freedom of those from the guilt and punishment of sin and the dominion thereof which were typified by Jacob that is of the faithful called the Children of the Promise v. 8. Note that Esau may be taken here to signifie a Child of the flesh because he was the Elder brother And men must have a being according to the Flesh before they can be children according to the Spirit that is before they can believe for Nature is before Grace and Jacob may be taken to signifie a child according to the Spirit that is a believer because he was the younger brother For men come to be children according to the Spirit that is men come to believe after they are children according to the flesh So that generally the children of the flesh are elder than the children of the Promise and the children of the Promise younger than the Children of the flesh Note again that servitude under an enemy a Lord a Master or a tyrant is frequently taken in Scripture as a type of Captivity under sin and the guilt and punishment thereof And that the freedom from such an enemy Lord Master or Tyrant is frequently taken as a Type of deliverance from sin and that so frequently as that we need say no more of it Ver. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated i e. Which prophesie or saying accords with that which is written by Malachy Mal. 1.2 Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated At least in a general way That which the Prophet Malachy saith concerning Esau and Jacob did in the History concern only the bodily or wordly estate of those two Brethren or rather of their posterity respectively but we must lift it up to the mystical and spiritual sence wherein God sheweth his love to those which were typified by Jacob and his Sons in remitting their sins and justifying them from their offences and his hatred in those which are typified in Esau and his Posterity in letting them lie in the guilt of their sins without remission Ver. 14. What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God That is what shall we infer from what I have said shall we infer from what I have said that there is unrighteousness with God because he passeth by so many of the Children of Abraham which are flesh of his flesh yea though they sought justification by their works And pardoneth those which are the Children of promise or Children according to the Spirit that is those which believe though they be Gentiles and not of the Stock of Abraham only because they believe God forbid The Apostle prevents an objection here for whereas he concluded in his last discourse that they which are the children of Abraham or Isaac or Jacob according to the flesh these are not these children which God promised to justifie no nor yet as they were under the Law and sought justification by works But the Children of the promise that is the faithfull whether they be of the Stock of Abraham Isaac and Jacob or whether they be of a Gentile race these are the only children of Abraham to which God made that spiritual promise of justification and which he would justifie A Jew might say Paul if this be so then by thy doctrine God rejecteth those which are of the holy seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob yea though they seek justification by the works of the Law which God hath given them if they do not believe and justifieth not only those which are of the holy Stock of Abraham if they believe but also such as are of the unclean Race of the Gentiles But if God shall do so indeed as thou teachest by this thy doctrine then would God be unjust for it would be injustice or unrighteousness in God thus to reject the holy seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob only for not believing and thus to accept of the unclean Race of the Gentiles only because they believe This objection I say the Appostle prevents here saying What shall we then say is there unrighteousness in God God forbid What shall we say then i. e What shall we infer then or what shall we gather then from that which I have said Is there unrighteousness with God i. e. Shall we infer from thence that God is unjust in these his dealings and dispensasations God forbid i. e. No by no means See Cap. 3.4 Ver. 15. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. He gives a reason here why God is not unjust in passing by so many of the children of Abraham or Jacob which were their children only according to the flesh and not justifying them yea though they sought Justification by their works and in justifying all those which were the children of the promise or children according to the Spirit though they were Gentiles and descended not from Abraham or Jacob by lineal Propagation He saith to Moses To wit Exodus 33.19 I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion These words were spoken by God Exod. 33.19 And they were spoken by occasion of that that the Children of Israel had in the absence of Moses made them a molten Calf and worshipped it saying These are thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt At which the Lord was exceeding angry and would have destroyed them all had not Moses entreated the Lord earnestly to pardon this their sin But the Lord would not pardon them all but some only saying I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. By these words God sheweth that he is free and restrained by no Law from shewing mercy and exercising compassion where he pleaseth And therefore he is not unjust or unrighteous in justifying those that are the children of the Promise yea though they be Gentiles most of them Ver. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy This conclusion doth most naturally arise out of what the Apostle alledged out of Exod. 33.19 in the foregoing verse but yet it is not that which he was to prove but that which he was to prove he inferrs from hence and sets down ver 18 But it is a conclusion as it semeth by the by A Question therefore it is and well may be to what end the Apostle makes mention of this Conclusion and why he draws it out and alleadgeth it here Answ This Conclusion is as I said drawn by the by out of the 15. verse and the Apostle often draws conclusions and arguments after this manner as I have observed before ver 11. chap. 7.16 c. But then it is indeed for the most part for the proof of some subject which he had treated of before But he hath not as yet directly treated of such a Subject as this conclusion is hitherto To what end thererefore doth he
31. But is an objection or question which might arise from that which was said ver 31. which question the Apostle here moves and answereth that he might yet more artificially usher in what he hath to say in the beginning of the Tenth Chapter Because they sought it not by faith i. e. Because they sought it not by the faith of Christ or by faith in Christ which is the only way to obtain Justificatiâ—n But as it were by the works of the Law i. e. But because they sought it by the works of the Law thinking thereby to obtain it without the faith of or in Christ As it were by the works of the Law These words as it were do sometimes signifie the truth and reality of a thing as John 7.9 sometimes an appearance of a thing only And I conceive that they are put here to signifie an appearance only though the Jews might think that when they sougâ—t righteousness by the Law as they did they sought it truly and as they ought to seek it They that truly seek Justification or Righteousness for these two words signifie both one and the same thing by the works of the Law they must so keep the Law as that they never break it at any time no not in the least tittle thereof for if they break it in the least tittle thereof they are cursed by the Law Galath 3.10 And therefore such can never be justified by the works of the Law Now the Jews had sinned every one of them And now having once sinned they could not really and truly and according to knowledge seek for Justification by the works of the Law But being that though they had sinned yet nevertheless they sought for Justification by the works of the Law the Apostle may say not that they sought it by the works of the Law But that they sought it as it were by the works of the Law For they stumbled at the stumbling stone i. e. For they stumbled and were offended at Christ who was to them as a Stumbling-block or stone of Offence in the way to Righteousness This Particle For relates to those words Because they sought it not by faith viz. The faith of Christ And are a Reason why they did not seek after Righteousness by faith The reason why the Jews did not seek after righteousness by faith was that they were offended at Christ by the faith of whom only Justification is to be had and rejected him and evilly entreated him to their own hurt and ruine by bringing a sin upon their head and putting away from them the only means of obtaining Remission of sins The reason why the Jews rejected Christ and were offended at him was because Christ came in such a poor and mean manner without any wordly Pomp being born according to the flesh of poor parentage and having not an house of his own where to lay his head Whereas they looked for a Pompous Messiah to come with all worldly Glory and Lustre mistaking the prophesies concerning Christ which spoke gloriously of him and interpreting them of Earthly Outward or worldly Glory when they were to be taken in a Mystical sence for Heavenly Inward and Spiritual Glory They stumbled at the stumbling stone By this stumbling block or stumbling stone is meant Christ who is here called and likened to a stumbling block or stumbling stone because as a man who in the way which he goes stumbles at a stone or a block which lies in his way comes to hurt So did the Jews stumbling as it were at Christ while they walked after justification get hurt thereby while they were offended at him and rejected him as though he were an Impostor and not the true Christ or Messiah promised by God They stumbled at i. e. They are said to have stumbled at Christ because they rejected Christ and persecuted him and so brought sin upon their head which was hurt to them as a man taketh hurt which stumbleth at a Stone or a Block in the way Ver. 33. As it is written behold I say c. Before these words understand these or the like words viz. For Christ was a stumbling stone to the Jews q. d For Christ was a stumbling Stone to the Jews as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rock of Offence As it is written viz. Isaiah 28.16 But yet the Testimony here alleadged is not to be found there word for word as it is here quoted as they that will compare the places may observe For these words a stumbling block and a Rock of Offence are not there to be found Wherefore most Interpreters do take this Testimony not as a simple testimony taken out of any one place but as a testimony compounded of two parts part whereof is taken out of Isaiah Chap. 28.16 Part out of Isaiah 8.14 Where we have these words A stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence But yet notwithstanding this we cannot find the whole testimony word for word in or to be made out of those two places conjoyned Yet nevertheless we may find the whole sence of the words even in Isaiah 28.16 mystically expounded and therefore I conceive that the Apostle takes his testimony wholly from thence though to explain the mystical sence thereof he may borrow some words from Isaiah 8.14 The words therefore as they are read in Isaiah Chap. 28.16 are these Behold I the Lord lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone A pretious corner stone a sure foundation He that believeth shall not make haste Which words in the first and literal sence are spoken of Ezâ—kiah King of Judah who when the Assyrians were in the Land of Judah wasting and destroying the Land yet did believe the word of the Lord that he notwithstanding would defend and keep Jerusalem and so was saved when most of the Jews which would not bâ—lieve were destroyed Hezekiah therefore in the literal sence was called here a Foundation in Sion because he dwelt in Sion that is in Hierusalem and was a Foundation that is a cause of safety to them which flew thither for safety for for Hezekiahs sake did God keep Hierusalem safe at that time He might be called also a Foundation because he was the Chiefest of them which believed in Hierusalem that Hierusalem should not be destroyed by the Assyrians but saved by the Lord from being destroyed by them And was by his example and counsel an inducement also to others to believe and to stand fast and strong in their belief For as a company of men knit or combined together in one are likened sometimes to a natural body and the Chief of them to the head of that body So are they sometimes likened to an House and the chief of them to the Foundation of that house And thus might Hezekiah also be likened to the Foundation of an house because he was the Chief of those believers which were in Hierusalem when the Assyrians wasted the Land of Judah
Righteousness or Justification By righteousness that is by justification is here meant the way of righteousness or justification as before The Jews for the greatest part of them would seek righteousness or justification by works Chap. 9.32 which way God approved not nor appointed Chap. 9. ver 11. wherefore the Apostle calleth that their own way which way of theirs they did strive to maintain against the way of faith Have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God i. e. Have not submitted themselves to and to have not followed that way of righteousness which God hath appointed to justification which is by faith He seems to speak of righteousness or of the way of righteousness here as of a person which we ought to obey by a Prosopopoeia Ver. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth c. He proveth here that the Jews have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God And the proof runs after this manner They which have not received Christ nor believed in him have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God But the Jews for the greatest part of them have not received Christ nor believed in him therefore the Jews for the greatest part of them have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God This whole Syllogism the Apostle leaveth to be understood as that which may easily be understood by what he hath here said And taking the minor for granted he proves the major here when he saith For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth i. e. For Christ was appointed to wit of God to be the Author of righteousness or justification to every one that believeth on him And that the Law it self testifieth because the Law it self points at Christ and did lead us to him for the obtaining of righteousness or justification by him Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness Christ is said to be the end of the Law for righteousness that is for justification because the Moral Law convincing man of sin and laying open his weakness and disability made him to look for righteousness that is for justification and remission of sins from without himself And the Ceremonial Law did prefigure Christ and the cleansing of our sins by him by the sacrifices and washings and other rites which it appointed Or which yet is almost the same with what I have said Christ may be said to be the end of the Law that is the final cause for which it was given to wit of God by Moses Because it was partly given to prefigure Christ Partly to be as a School Master to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 This is an Argument to prove that Christ was appointed of God for Righteousness or Justification to wit because the Law which was given of God by Moses did point at him and lead to him for that end Ver. 5. For Moses describeth the Righteousness of the Law c. Because the Apostle said ver 4. That Christ was the end of the Law for righteousness c. A man might object and say that if it be so that Christ was the end of the Law for Righteousness then is the Righteousness of the Law and the righteousness of faith all one that is it is one and the same way which the Law prescribes for Righteousness or Justification And which the Gospel prescribeth And may infer from thence that if it be so then the Jews are not ignorant of the righteousness of God but have submitted themselves thereunto Which was that which the Apostle denied ver 3. The Apostle therefore prevents this Objection and to shew that the Righteousness of the Law And the Righteousness of Faith is not the same or that it is not one and the same way which the Law prescribeth for righteousness and which the Gospel prescribeth saith for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law c. q. d. Neither because I said That Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness Do I say that the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith are both one or that it is one and the same way which the Law prescribeth for righteousness and which the Gospel prescribeth For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law after this manner That the man which doth those things shall live by them But the the righteousness which is of faith or but the Preacher of the Gospel speaketh on this wise Viz. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law c. i. e. Moses who was publisher of the law and by whom the Law was given describeth the way of righteousness which the Law sets out or appointeth thus to wit that the man that doth those things shall live by them By the righteousnest of the Law I understand by a Metonymy the way appointed or scored out in the Law or by the Law for obtaining or attaining to righteousness The man which doth those things shall live by them i. e. That man which doth fully and perfectly observe and keep all the Commandments of the Law as fully and exactly as the Law requireth them to be done shall be justified by them This testimony is taken out of Levit. 18.5 where the whole verse runs thus Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them Which doth these things i. e. Which doth the Statutes and judgements that is the commandments of the Lord and doth them most exactly This Sentence is to be understood of exact and perfect keeping of the Law as appeareth by Deuteronomy 27.26 where a curse is denounced against all those which keep not all the words of the Law See Gal 3.8 c. Shall live by them i. e. Shall be justified by them To live signifieth here to be justified as Chap. 1. v. 17. Ver. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise By the righteousness which is of faith I understand by a Metonymy or Prosopopoeia the Preacher of that Righteousness which is of faith and this I do to oppose it to Moses the Preacher or publisher of the Law and the righteousness thereof That which the righteousness of faith or the Preacher of the righteousness which is of faith speaketh is that which is recorded ver 9 viz. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved So that that which is said between this and that is brought in by the way and is to be read as it were with a parenthesis Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven These
words do not depend upon the words immediately going before but are together with all which is between this and the ninth verse to be read as I said as it were with a parenthesis These words from this place to the ninth verse mutatis mutandis are taken out of Deut. 30.12 c. and here used by an accomodation The Apostle hath shewed before as Cap. 4.14 c. That Justification could not be obtained by the Law Now least any one should say the same of faith he removes here from faith those things which might make it seem impossible to obtain Justification by faith And first because he said that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth least any might think from thence that Christs bodily prescence were necessary he shews in this and the following verse That for Christ to be bodily present is not necessary at all to this And because though his bodily presence is not necessary yet his word is requisite and some might say that it was no easie matter to come to the knowledge of that his word nor was it an easie matter to find out where that his word was to be had He sheweth ver 8. that his word is not far off but nigh at hand and easie to be obtained by anyone Say not in thy heart i. e. Say not in thy mind or cast not about in thy thoughts saying The heart is put here for the mind or the thoughts after the Hebrew manner Who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above i. e. Who shall ascend into Heaven for us for this end that he might bring down Christ from above as though it were necessary that Christ should be bodily present for thee to obtaâ—n the righteousness which is of faith or that thou canst not know how to obtain that righteousness except he should be bodily present with thee to shew thee Ver. 7. Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead Or who will descend into Hell to bring Christ again from the dead for this end as though it were necessary that Christ should be bodily present for thee to obtain the righteousness which is of Faith or that thou canst not know how to obtain that righteousness except he were bodily present with thee to shew thee By what the Apostle hath said here he shews that it is not needful that Christ should be bodily present with us that we may believe and be saved by the righteousness which is of faith Being that Christ hath left the Earth in hâ—s body he must needs be their in Heaven above or among the dead beneath therefore the Apostle saith Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead And nameth no more places Into the deep By the deep understand here the place of the dead For so that which followeth Viz. To bring up Christ again from the dead bids us to interpret it In this Interpretation which I have given of those two verses I point both the end of the seventh and eighth verses with an Interrogatory q. d. Say not in thine heart who shall descend unto Heaven to wit to bring down Christ from above Or who shall descend into the deep to wit to bring Christ again from the dead and for the so pointing of it I have Deut 30.12 for my direction And the Syriack and Ethiopique translations for my warrant Ver. 8. But what saith it That is but what saith the righteousness which is of faith that is but what saith the Preacher of that righteousness which is of faith Metonymia The word is nigh thee c. The Apostle prevents an objection here for a Jew may say whatsoever the righteousness of faith saith the wâ—rd which it saith may be far enough from me and I may never come to hear it or know it or if I do I must spend much labour and travail to find it out this objection I say the Apostle prevents when he saith the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth c. Note that in these words the Apostle alludes to that place of Deut. 30.14 and useth it here by an accommodation as I said before The Word i. e. The word which the Preacher of the Righteousness which is of faith saith Even in thy mouth and in thy heart i. e. The word is so nigh thee as that thou talkest of it with thy mouth and meditatest upon it in thy heart and bearest it in thy memory for thou canst not forget it This seems to be a proverbial kind of speech The Heart is taken here for the mind or memory c. That is the word of Faith which we preach That is the word which the Preacher of the Righteousness which is of Faith preacheth which we which are the Apostles of Christ preach viz c. Note that faith is taken here for the Righteousness of faith and that again for the Preacher of Righteousness of Faith by a Metonymy Ver. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus i. e. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Supple to be such as the Father hath set him out to be or such as the Gospel doth describe him to be Some interpret the words thus If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus to be the Lord. Jesus is called the Lord because he hath purchased us For he hath purchased us with the price of his blood Note here that it is not absolutely necessary to salvation to confess the Lord Jesus at all times with the mouth but only then when the case requireth it but it is absolutely necessary to confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth in the preparation of the heart that is it is absolutely necessary to be always ready in heart to confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth when the case shall require it and that is when the glory of God would suffer by us if we should not do it I take therefore to confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus here to be to be ready in heart to confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth Note here that to confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth or to be ready in heart so to confess him is the fruit and effect of Faith Therefore here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he saith That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath rais-him from the dead For the naturall order of the words should have been this If thou shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised Jesus from the dead and confess the Lord Jesus with thy mouth thou shalt be saved Saving or justifying faith is a faith which as I said Cap. 1. ver 17. comes up
continued in his innocency justification would be due to him of debt so that with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he when he were accused as a sinner before him should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him of sin but condemn him as a sinner Of Grace i. e. Of favour or through the favour to wit the favour of God Ver. 6. And if by Grace i. e. And if they are elected to Justification by favour Then it is no more of works i. e. Then truly it is not of works that they are justified or then are they not justified by works The Greek rendred here no more is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies truly not where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often times elegantly abound And by works are to be understood works exactly done according as the Law requireth without the least breach thereof for so doth the Apostle call works every where almost in this Epistle which works so done create right to a debt Otherwise Grace is no more Grace That is Otherwise if it were by Grace and yet of works too that they were justified it would follow that Grace were not Grace but Grace falsly so called For Grace and debt are opposite one to the other and can never stand together But if it be of works To wit that they are justified Then is it no more of grace i. e. Then is it not of Grace that they are Justified or then are they not elected to Justification by Grace Otherwise work is no more work By work understand here the work of the Law exactly performed according to the Law which work meriteth Justification of due and creates a right thereunto so that men would be injured if any such were who should not be justified for this there work Otherwise work is no more work q. d. Otherwise if it were by works and yet of grace too it would follow that work which essentially includeth merit would not be truly work but falsly so called What the Apostle hath said here concerning works he said to convince the Jew of his errour who sought Justification by works Ver. 7. What then i. e. What shall we say then or what shall we gather out of what I have said Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for i. e. The Jews for the greatest part of them have not obtained Righteousness or Justification which they seek after By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the Children of Israel that is of Jacob And yet not all the Jews but the greatest part of them only by a Synechdoche And by that which they seek after is meant Righteousness or Justification as appeareth Chap. 9.31 Chap. 10.3 But the Election hath obtained it i. e. But the Remnant or those few which God hath elected to Justification or intended or decreed to Elect which are the faithful or such as are of faith they have obtained what they sought for The Election is put here by an Hebraism for the Elected or those whom God intended or decreed to Elect that is for the Remnant according to the Election of Grace as he called them Ver. 5. And the immediate object of this Election is Justification And the rest were blinded i. e. And the other which were not Elected or whom God intended or decreed not to elect which were they which would not believe the Gospel but were rather contentious against it were blinded Were blinded Supple so that they could not or cannot see the clear light of the Gospel much less believe it This useth to be the punishment of those which will not believe the Gospel when it is preached to them to wit spiritual blindness See Matth. 13. ver 13 14 15 c. And this being a punishment following unbelief is in some wise opposite to Justification which Justification consisteth in the pardon or remssion of his sins which believeth and so is a gratious râ—ward or consequent of faith when as this is a Punishment of unbelief going before Ver. 8 According as it is written Viz. Isaiah 29.10 God hath given them the spirit of slumber Supple by reason of which they are in a Spiritual kind of Slumber and Sleep by which their Senses are so tied up as that they cannot see and perceive that is that they cannot understand and believe what is preached to them It is usual in the Scriptures to express the inward operations of the Reasonable soul by the outward operation of the sensitive soul So to see and perceive are put for to know and understand Matt. 13. v. 14. yea for to believe as will appear by Acts 28. v. 24. And because Sleep or Slumber ties up the outward senses so that they cannot do their office therefore by a Metaphor is Slumber or the Spirit of Slumber put here for such a condition of estate in which whosoever is he cannot understand and believe those things which are preached to him so long as he is in that Estate Note that these words are in the first and Historical sence spoken of such Jews and men of Hierusalem as would not believe the destruction of the Army of the Assyrians which besieged Hierusalem in the days of Hezekiah and the delivery of Hierusalem from that siege though it were preached to them by the Servants of the Lord his Prophets But in the second and Mystical sence they are spoken of such Jews as in the days of our Saviour and his Apostles would not believe the Gospel when it was preached to them which contained the good news of mans Redemption from sin and of the destruction of sin by Christ Where note that the delivery of the Jews from the Assyrians was a type of the delivery of the faithful from their sins Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear i. e. Eyes so affected as that they should not see with them And ears so affected as that they should not hear with them The eyes and the ears when they are properly taken are spoken of the eyes and ears of the body but here they are Metaphorically to be understood of the mind or understanding of the Reasonable soul These words are taken for their sence for the Apostle doth not always tie himself to the Letter in his citations out of Isaiah 6.9 And they are there spoken of the Jews of his to wit Isaiahs time in the first and Historical sence but in the second and Mystical sence they are taken of the unbelieving Jews in our Saviour and his Apostles time which were typified by those former See what we said immediately before on these words God hath given unto them the spirit of slumber unto this day Some refer these words to the latter part of the seventh verse q. d. And the rest were blinded even unto this day And the Intervening words they read with a Parenthesis But some again refer them to the words immediately going before but
Apostle having delivered in the former part of this Epistle the Doctrine of Faith cometh here to give precepts of manners And to connect or knit this to his former Subject He infers this as a duty arising from that For when that his Doctrine of faith hath set out and shewen many mercies of God to us He beseecheth the Romans here in consideration of those mercies to shew themselves thankful to God by an holy living and conversation of life I beseech you therefore c. q. d. Being therefore you have received many mercies from God as I have shewed you in the former part of my Epistle I beseech you Brethren by those mercies c. Brethren He calleth the Romans Brethren because they were Christians as he was And Christians because they have the same God for their Father and the same Church for their Mother are called Brethren By the mercies of God i. e. By the mercies which God hath shewed you The Apostle beginneth this part of his Epistle with a vehement obsecration and an earnest obtestation whereby he beseecheth the Romans by those mercies which he had mentioned and commended to them in the former part of his Epistle and which they had received that they would present their bodies a living sacrifice c. By the mercies of God This is a vehement obtestation which is a most effectuall kind of reasoning or manner of perswading Like unto this is that most earnest and passionate prayer in the Letany of our Church viz. By thine Agony and bloody sweat by thy Cross and Passion c Good Lord deliver us which manner of praying Some have prophanely called swearing but you see that the Apostle useth this same manner of speaking and he may be a president for it without exception That you present your bodies a living sacrifice i. e. That ye offer your selves as a living Sacrifice to God Your Bodies i e. Your selves By the Body is here meant not the Body only but the body and soul too that is the whole man by a Synechdoche But he seemeth to say your bodies rather than your selves in some allusion to the Jewish Sacrifices where the bodies of the beasts which were offered for a burnt-offering were consumed or burnt on the Altar to the glory of God A living sacrifice i. e. As a living Holocaust or Burnt-offering as I may so speak The Apostle in this alludes to the Sacrifices of the Jews and among them to the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering where the Beast or Carcase of the beast which was offered or sacrificed was wholly burnt or consumed with fire to the glory of God And this he doth to signifie that we should offer to God our whole selves and all our actions Yet he saith a living sacrifice in opposition to that That those Sacrifices which the Jews offered were slain But this is not required of us that we should slay our selves or be slain by being made a Sacrifice here Then we offer our bodies that is our selves a living Sacrifice to God when we direct all our actions and do all which we do to his glory according to the exposition which the Apostle gives of his meaning in the last words of this verse Holy i e. An holy Sacrifice That is a sacrifice pure and separate from all uncleanness Yea a sacrifice sanctified by the holy Ghost as our Apostle speaks Chap. 15. ver 16. The sacrifices of the Old Law were called holy and were so accounted But if they were called and accounted holy Surely the bodies of Christians may be called and accounted holy much more being that they are purified from sin by the blood of Christ 1 John 1.7 and sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15 16. There is an allusion therefore here to the sacrifices of the Law and their holiness when he bids us offer our bodies an Holy Sacrifice Acceptable unto God i e. Such as is well-pleasing unto God who because he is pure delighteth and is well-pleased with that only which is pure The Burnt sacrifice was said to be an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord Levit. 1.9 In allusion to this would the Apostle have our sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And indeed if such sacrifices were as a sweet savour unto God acceptable and well pleasing to him much more may the bodies and actions of Christians be acceptable to him See 2 Cor. 2 15. Phil. 4.18 Which is your reasonable service He interpreteth here what he meant by their bodies He meaneth by that themselves that is their reasonable service By a Synechdochical Metonymie Your reasonable service By the reasonable service here spoken of is meant the service of the spirit or of the soul which is a reasonable soul that is q. d. your spiritual service or the service of your spiritual souls Or by the reasonable service is meant the service of the whole man as it is reasonable or guided by the reasonable soul directed by Gods word He opposeth here this reasonable service or service of the spirit to that bodily service which was used under the old Law and which consisted for the most part in slaying and sacrificing beasts and birds c. or rather he opposeth it to the beasts and birds themselves which were sacrificed which were but brute and unreasonable creatures Ver. 2. And be not conformed to this world q. d. And for this end or for this cause be not conformed to this world Be not conformed to this world i. e. Be not conformed or be not like to the men which love the pleasures and profits and other vanities of this world all which ye have renounced in your Baptism To this world By the world is here meant by a Metonymie the men which live in the world and then by a Synechdoche not any men which live in the world but such as are given to the pleasures and profits and other vanities of the world But be ye transformed i. e. But be ye transformed and become like to those which are of another yea a more heavenly carriage and conversation By the renewing of your mind This he saith because their mind was corrupt And from thence this transformation must begin That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God i. e. That ye may know and approve of that good and acceptable will of God by which ye are to regulate and square your Reasonable service That ye may prove i. e. That ye may know and approve or like of for so may the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek signifie By a Metaphor from Goldsmiths which try Gold by their touch-stone and upon trial know it to be true Gold and approve of it for such What is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God i. e. What is that will of God by which we should guide our Reasonable service which is a good will a perfect will and a will acceptable or pleasing to God and
exhortation To Exhort is for a man to move or stir up the mind of his auditors with pleasing and insinuating speeches to the works of piety and godliness In Exhortation i. e. Let him carry himself soberly in Exhorting according to the measure or proportion of faith that is according to the measure or proportion of this his gift of Exhortation These last take not as divers offices of the Church but as divers gifts or graces which may meet in one Subject though they are often separate and distinct And note that it is the Apostles scope here not to shew what offices shall be in the Church but to shew how men should make use of those gifts which God hath given them for the benefit of the Church without pride Many such gifts as these were conferred upon many of the Church immediately by the holy Ghost for the good of the Church in the first times of the Gospel He that giveth i. e. He that hath wherewith to give and God hath given him an heart to give Let him do it in simplicity i. e. Let him not do it for vain-glory or any other sinister end So some Or let him do it liberally or bountifully So others The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and so some would have it rendred here But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its prime signification signifieth simplicity and it is to be taken here â—s I conceive for simplicity of heart and that is done in simplicity or with simplicity of heart which is done with a pure sincere and simple intent that is where nothing is eyed but that which should be eyed As in alms the relieving of the poor and the glory of God not vain-glory or obliging the poor to himself For he that sheweth or pretendeth one thing in his work and thinks of another thing in his heart Cor duplicat as Saint Austin speaketh he doubleth his heart and so doth not what he doth in Simplicity Note that the Apostle alters his phrase here for he saith not he that giveth in giving He that ruleth in ruling He that sheweth mercy in shewing mercy As he said before He that teacheth in teaching He that exhorteth in exhortation Wherefore he seemeth to have some other intent here than he had there His intent therefore was there to shew that men should not arrogantly exceed the measure of their gifts Here that men should use those gifts well which they had received the former respected the quantity as I may so speak this the quality of their doings He that ruleth i. e. He who hath the rule and goverment of others committed to him With diligence That is let him rule with diligence this he saith because diligence care and studdy is required of all Rulers He that sheweth mercy To wit to such as stand in need of mercy With cheerfulness i. e. Let him do it that is let him shew mercy with cheerfulness God loveth cheerfulness in all such actions Ver. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Whom we love let us love with a sincere heart not making an outward shew of love when our heart is far from it but let our heart and shâ—w go together Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good i e. And in your love abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good that is do not that for love sake which is evil but remember in all the ways of your love to cleave to that which is good Some love so perversly as that they will humor their friend in any thing which he desireth be it never so vicious Against such doth the Apostle give this rule here But yet some take these words more generally and make them as the summ of the Law which is to eschew evil and do good and say that they are here alledged as a reason why love should be without dissimulation q. d. Let love be without dissimulation For dissimulation is evil And what saith the law Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Ver. 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love i. e. Ye which are Christians and so Saints love one another with more than an ordinary love yea love one another with brotherly love The Apostle spoke of Love ver 9 and here he speaks of love again but in the ninth verse he spoke of that love which we shew to men in general In this verse he speaks of love which we ow to the Saints in particular that is to the brethren that is to them which are of the same Christian faith and religion with our selves But if we shall take the object of love alike or for the same in both places then make that which is here said as an higher degree of love than what was said before q. d. Yea be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love that is yea let nor your love be only without dissimulation but be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love c. In honour preferring one another i. e. Every one honouring one another yea and thinking him worthy of honour above himself There is no man so perfect but that he may see some good thing in another which he seeth not in himself and beholding this he may think another worthy to be preferred in honour before himself while he looks upon that The Apostle addeth this in this place because that brotherly love which he commandeth here is cherished and nourished by these means Ver. 11. Not slothful in business i. e. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus not slow in your desire and ready will to do good For among other significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath It signifies a ready will to help or do good to another See Hen. Stephens Thesau Vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever the General word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be drawn here to this sence by the Circumstances of the place The sence therefore of these words here may be this Be not slothful when you have a desire and ready will to do Good to perform that Good This precept may the Apostle give here with Respect to those precepts which he gave before viz. That he that giveth let him do it with simplicity And that he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cheerfulness Verse 8. And that let Love be without dissimulation Verse 9. And that be kindly affectioned one towards another with Love c. v. 10. That they might do the Duties contained in those Precepts not in wâ—â—d and in Tongue but in Deed and in Trutâ— as Saint John speaks 1 John 3.18 And that there might be a readiness to these Duties not of mind only but of performance also For there may be a readiness of mind at least in shew when there is a backwardness
this objection hath no place here because here there is no such duty as fear and honour due from any one to any one to whom this precept is directed And this I conceive as probable because the Apostle though he reckoneth other the duties of the second Table in the verse following yet he omitteth that concerning Rulers and Superiors which he would not as it seems have done if he had intended to have spoken here of such duties as are due to them For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law Between these and the foregoing words understand these or the like words But as for love be always owing that and yet always paying it q. d. But as for love be alwayes owing that and yet alwayes paying it for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law The Apostle doth here shew the great benefit that doth accrue to us by love and which we cannot attain to without it namely the fulfilling of the Law and this he doth the more to incite us or stir us up to love Hath fulfilled the Law That is hath performed all the Commandments of the Law The fullness which the Apostle here speaks of hath respect to the full number of the commandments concerning our Neighbour q. d. He hath kept all the commandments concerning his neighbour so that there is none which he hath not kept or left unperformed for that part of the Law which containeth the duties of Neighbour to Neighbour Ver. 9. For this thou shalt not commit adultery i. e. For this Commandment viz. Thou shalt not commit adultery The Apostle proveth here that which he said ver 8. That he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law And he proves it by an Induction or by Reckoning up all the particular commandments of the Law These Commandments are all delivered in the future tense But after the Hebrew manner the future tense of the Indicative mood is put for the Imperative These commandments are also all of them delivered Negatively But in these Negatives the contrary affirmative duties are included Adultery Under the name of Adultery understand Incest fornication and the like as well as Adultery strictly taken It may be asked here why the Apostle omitted the first commandment of the second Table to wit Honor thy father thy mother that thy days may be long in the Land c. Answ Because the Apostle speaks here onely of such and to such as are in an equality in respect of rule and subjection having spoken of subjects as subjects and in relation to their Rulers as so from the beginning of this Chapter to the eighth verse Or else we must say that the Apostle involves that commandment in those words And if there be any other commandment But the first seems to me to be the most probable answer It may be asked again that whereas in the twentieth of Exodus and wheresoever the Law is repeated the precept or command concerning Murder is put before the command concerning Adultery Why the precept or command concerning Adultery is put here before that of Murder But to this we cannot give an answer except it be that the Apostle did it because he thought that the Romans were chiefly to be admonished of the sins of the flesh which were sins most rise amongst the Gentiles and sins reducible to that precept or command Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not kill i e. And this commandment Viz. Thou shalt not kill He is said to kill here which having no lawfull authority to do it killeth a man whether the man be nocent or innocent Thou shalt not steal And this Commandement to wit Thou shalt not steal He is guilty of the breach of this Commandment which either takes away or detains that which is another mans against the will of the owner whether he doth it openly or privately by fraud or by force c. Thou shalt not bear false witness i. e. This commandment viz. Thou shalt not bear false witness He is guilty of the breach of this commandment who witnesseth any thing that is false especially in judgement to the injury of his neighbour Yea who telleth any lie Thou shalt not covet i. e. And this commandment Viz. Thou shalt not covet He is guilty of the breach of this commandment who lusteth after any thing which is his neighbours whom by so lusting he injureth at least in desire and affection And if there be any other commandment To wit of this nature or concerning our Neighbour It is briefly comprehended in this saying i. e. It is briefly summarily or implicitely comprehended in this General saying Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Thou shalt love thy neighbour as truly as thou lovest thy self How we should love our neighbours as truly as our selves we are taught by those two general precepts of the Law of nature Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do you even so to them Matth. 7.12 And do that to no man which thou hatest To bit 4.15 By our Neighbour is not here meant a neer dweller only as some vulgar men may think nor one only which is of our own Nation or of our own Religion or which is any of our friends and acquaintance only But any of what Nation or Râ—ligion soever he be for he is our Neighbour whom we may not lawfully kill and with whose wife we may not lawfully commit adultery and whose goods we cannot lawfully Steal c. Ver. 10. Love worketh not ill to his neighbour i. e. He which loveth his Neighbour worketh no ill to his Neighbour yea he worketh to his neighbour all the good he can Love is put here by a Metonymie for him which loveth and note that the Apostle useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here by which he understandeth more than his words reach to For by not working ill to his Neighbour he understandeth working all good as he is able to do Therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law i. e. Therefore the performance of the duties of love that is therefore whosoever doth the duties of love fulfilleth the Law Love is taken here by a Metonymie for the performance of the duties of love or rather for the man which performeth them What is meant by fulfilling what by the Law See ver 8. Ver. 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep Refer this to those words of the eight verse Owe no man any thing but love one another Or else between this and the former verse understand these or the like words Let us therefore love one another and so fulfil the law q. d. Let us therefore love one another and so fulfil the Law and the rather because we know the time that now it is high time to a wake out of sleep That This particle that signifieth as much as the rather or especially Knowing the time that it is now high time to awake out of sleep i. e. Knowing the time to
as there is nothing which I eat is unclean in it self To this I answer That I know by the light of nature and am perswaded by the knowledge which I have gained by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in it self but yet to him that esteemeth or is perswaded that any thing is unclean though erroniously to him it is as if it were unclean and he is as much bound to abstain from eating of it as if it were unclean indeed Thy eating therefore of that which is not unclean in it self may be to thy brother as a stumbling block and an occasion to sin if he esteemeth it to be unclean 15. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 15. But if thou doest grieve thy brother by drawing him by thy example to eat any thing against his conscience which he esteemeth to be unclean which must needs be somewhat grievous to him or if thou grievest him any other way with that thy meat whereby thou makest him to sin thou walkest not charitably towards thy brother but dost even slay his soul by making of him thus to sin But O destroy not him with thy eating or with this thy meat for whom Christ died 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of 16. And being that Christ hath made thee free from the yoke of the Ceremonial Law which put a difference between meats which freedom we cannot look upon but as on a great good conferred upon us by Christ Let not this good this freedom by our abuse of it be evil spoken of as it must needs be if you abuse it to the grief and destruction of your weak brethren 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost 17. But thou wilt say I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men will blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me And that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is But fear not this for the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in eating of meats and drinking of drinks without discrimination but it consisteth in Righteousness and peace and joy through the holy Ghost 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ in the advancement of his Kingdom is acceptable to God and approved of all good men 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another 19. Being then that the advancement of the kingdom of God consisteth in Righteousness and Peace let us follow after the things which make for peace and after Righteous things wherewith we may edifie one another which will be the cause of a true and holy joy in us 20. For meat destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence 20. For by using thy liberty in eating meats without any difference destroy not thy weak brother whom God hath created in Christ Jesus But thou wilt say are not all meats clean and pure why then may I not eat them to this I answer that all meats are pure indeed in themselves so that that they cannot in themselves defile a man But yet notwithstanding it is evil for that man who eateth any meat with the offence and destruction of his weak brother 21. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak 21. It is good for a man neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor to do any thing whereby his brother stumbleth or is offended or is made to shew his weakness 22. Hast thou faith Have it to thy self before God Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth 22. But thou wilt say I believe and am perswaded that I may lawfully eat all manner of meats through Christ shall I then have this Christian faith or perswasion and yet never be suffered to make use of it I say therefore to thee dost thou believe and art thou perswaded that thou maist lawfully eat all meats whatsoever make use of this thy faith and perswasion but make use of it not before thy weak brother but only before God and thy self where none else may see For happy is that man which in the use of that thing which he approves of and is perswaded that he may lawfully use doth not that for which he may be condemned 23. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin 23. And not only he which is perswaded that he may lawfully eat all manner of meats without any dâ—fference may do that in eating for which he may bring damnation upon himself but he also which doubteth whether he may lawfully eat of such or such meats is damned if he eat of them Because he eateth not out of a perswasion that he may lawfully eat of what he eats For whatsoever we do if we do it not out of a full perswasion that we may lawfully do it it is sin CHAP. XIV Ver. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive but not to doubtful disputations q. d. Ye which are strong receive them which are weak in the faith But when I bid you receive them my meaning is not that ye should receive them to doubtful disputations By disputations He means disputations concerning their opinions which he calls doubtful because the Issue thereof will be doubtful It being uncertain whether they can bring them by disputing with them to a full perswasion of the truth or whether they will make them thereby to revolt and forsake the faith of Christ which they have already embraced Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receive ye See more Chap. 15. ver 7. The Apostle speaks here to such as were strong in the faith that is to such as were perswaded that the Law of Moses was abrogated by Christ and had not power to obliege Christians to the observance of meats and days as it did the Jews while it was in force So that they might lawfully eat those meats which were forbidden to be eaten by the Law of Moses And might lawfully omit the Sanctification of those days which the Law of Moses made holy And he speaks to them concerning the weak that is concerning such as were not so perswaded but observed the choise of meats and days as Moses had commanded out of the weakness of their judgement towards whom he would have them carry themselves withall prudence and charitableness Whether
forbidden by the Law of Moses as that he thinks to his grief that thou dispisest the Law of God which was given by Moses who yet wouldst be accounted a Servant of God Or that he is in a manner forced by thy example to eat against his conscience and so to his grief those things which he is perswaded in his conscience though falsly cannot lawfully be eaten Or is any other way grieved with the meat that he seeth the eat and with thy eating of it c. We may say that to be grieved here is as much as to be offended or to stumble or fall by occasion given For they which stumble and fall and so come by hurt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They are grieved The sence therefore of these words If thy brother be grieved may be this if thy brother be offended in relation to what he said ver 13. That no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way This word this way taken hath in it a metaphorical Metonymy With they meat i. e. With thy meat or because he seeth thee eat those meats which are forbidden by the Law of Moses which he yet thinks thou mayest not lawfully eat Now walkest thou not charitably That is thou transgressest the law of Charity which commands the to love thy neighbour as thy self Destroy not him i. e. Cause not or give not therefore occasion to him to do or commit that for which he may be damned and lose his soul A man may be damned and loose his soul for every sin as for rash judging or condemning his brother For judge not that ye be not judged saith our Saviour Mat. 7.1 And for eating that which he doth but doubt whether he might lawfully eat or no for he that doubteth is damned if he eateth saith the Apostle ver 23. c With thy meat i. e. With the use of thy liberty which thou hast in eating what meats thou wilt or with the abuse thereof rather For whom Christ died This is emphatically and feelingly spoken And this doth aggravate the sin of him which eats with the scandal and offence of his brother when as his brother is considered as such an one as for whom Christ died Ver. 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of That is Do not ye then so use your Christian liberty which is a great good which you have received by Christ and an ease from a hard yoke as that your weak brethren should so much as defame it and speak evil of it through you The Apostle speaks here to the faithfull Jews which believed in Christ and the stronger sort of them and by their good he meaneth their Christian liberty which they had by Christ who by his death abrogated the Law of Moses in eating any kind of meats without difference Which liberty he calls their good because by that they were delivered from a great evil I speak not evill of sin That is from a great yoke or burden of the ceremonial Law This good is evill spoken of when it is called by weak brethren who are not perswaded of the abrogation of Moses Law Sin Abomination Vncleanness the Licentiousness of the flesh the indulgency and cockering of the Gorge the Patent or Priviledge of gluttony and the like which terms the weak brethren would be ready to give it if they should see the faithful and stronger Jews using this liberty freely before their eyes Yea it would be called the murder of souls if it should be so that they should cause their weak brethren to sin by their abuse of it And this last the Apostle seems here to mean having said just before Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Ver. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink The Apostle prevents another objection here for the strong in faith might say yea but I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men would blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me and I may fear that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this our liberty is This objection I say the Apostle prevents here saying For the Kingdom of God c. q. d. And you need not fear that God will be angry with you and that good men will blame you if you should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for you and that you should not advance the Kingdom of God as you ought to do if you should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is especially in this case For the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in the eating of meats or drinking drinks indifferently but in righteousness and peace and joy through the Holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men For the Kingdome of God i. e. For the advancement of the Kingdom of God Metonymia The Kingdom of God is to be taken here first for the Church of God the Church militant here on earth which is also called the Kingdom of Grace and this Church is called the Kingdom of God because God reigns in the hearts of the Saints and the faithfull which are the members thereof by his holy Spirit and he gives to all the members thereof his Laws and protects them and doth all the offices of a King to them and moreover rules them visibly by his Ministers and vicegerents Then Secondly The Kingdom of God is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the advancement of this Kingdom It is the duty of every Christian to advance this Kingdom of God which we do when we edifie one another as the Apostle speaks ver 19. Is not meat and drink i. e. Consisteth not in the free use of that liberty which Christians have in eating and drinking all things without difference or distinction Meat and drink are taken here by a Metonymy for the free use of meat and drink without difference or distinction Note that there was no such distinction of drinks under the Law as there were of meats For there was no restraint of drinks but to the Nazaren Numb 6.3 And to the Priest when he was to go about his ministery Levit. 10.19 Therefore he seemeth not to speak of drinks as they are in themselves but as joyned with meats in meals and are as it were one with them Note here that it is no where commanded to eat and drink all things indifferently it is onely free for us to eat and drink what we will so it be done without offence But as for the other things here mentioned as Righteousness and Peace they are commanded and those things we must do though a weak brother be offended thereat But Righteousness Righteousness is taken here for the working of Righteousness that is
the strong bear the infirmity of the weak when they patiently suffer them in things indifferent and do not rashly or unadvisedly contradict them when they avoid all means and occasions of offending them And when as they have opportunity they do meekly instruct them and wisely inform them concerning things indifferent that they may come to the right knowledge thereof and may be confirmed in the faith In these words To bear the infirmity of the weak the Apostle useth a Metaphor taken from fellow travellers where the stronger and best able to travel will help the weakest and less able to carry part of his burden or pack And not to please our selves i. e. And not for our own humour or pleasure sake because we will shew what we may do in things indifferent offend others by doing such things To please our selves therefore signifieth here by a Syllepsis or a Metalepsis so to please our selves in our doings which we may as well not do as to offend another and be an occasion to him of sinning Ver. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification i. e. Let every one of us whether Jew or Gentile do that which is pleasing to our neighbour whether he be Jew or Gentile and comply with him for his good to edification though by so doing we do contrary to our own humor or phansie The Apostle would have us to please our neighbour as well as our selves that is not to offend him but to comply with him but yet he would not have us to please him and comply with him in any carnal and unseemly matter And therefore he adds here to his good to edification The chief things which he would have us here to please him in are things indifferent in their own nature in the use of which he would not have us to cross him so as to offend him or to make him sin To his good By his good he means his spiritual good To edification i. e. That he may be thereby edified Concerning the meaning of the word Edification See Chap. 14. ver 9. Ver. 3. For even Christ pleased not himself i. e. For even Christ who ought to be our pattern and whom we ought to imitate though he were Lord of all yet did he do that which was grievous to his humane nature and displeasing to that that he might save others and so do that which was wel-pleasing to them But as it is written Viz. Psalm 69. verse 9. The reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me i. e. The punishment due to them which reproached thee for those their reproaches fell on me Supple and they fell on me not against my will but with my will yea I willingly took them upon my self that I might satisfie thee for those their sins This is the meaning of these words as the Apostle here useth them and it is the end which is here left to be understood and the manner of Christs taking upon him the punishment due to the reproaches of those sinners that reproached God which brings this authority up to his purpose The reproaches i. e. The punishments due to the Reproachers Metonymie Of them which reproached thee i. e. Of those sinners which reproached thee O God by their words and by their actions For every sin whether it be in word or in deed is a reproach to God against whose Law they sin Fell on me i. e. Fell on me who yet was willing to bear them yea who did willingly take them upon me and undergo them that I might satisfie thy Justice for them and so set them free Who sees not here that Christ did that which was not pleasing to his humane nature in it self but that which was pleasing to others For to whom is it not pleasing that Christ should satisfie for his sins that he might escape the punishment due to them and so be saved And how would it be otherwise than grievous to the humane nature of Christ in which he suffered to suffer such pains as he suffered and so be displeasing to that But note here that these words as they lie in Psalm 69.9 are in the first sence spoken of David who complains there to God of his afflictions and how he was grieved to see and hear his enemies so to reproach him the living God as they did And the sence of these words as they are thus spoken by David is this And the reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me to the wounding of my Soul to think that thou shouldest be so reproached That is And I was grieved at the heart to hear men reproach thee as they did and took it as grieuously as if they had reproached me my self But in the second and sublime sence they are to be understood as the words of Christ and bear the same sence as we at the first gave of them For note that David was a type of Christ and his sufferings of Christs sufferings wherefore many things which are spoken of David in the First and Historical sence are to be understoood of Christ in the Second and Sublime sence and many words which are spoken by David are to be understood as spoken by Christ also but yet not always in one and the same sence the Holy Ghost so fitting the words as that they may be spoken as well by the one as the other in their several sences But of this see what I said in my Preface to my Exposition on the Prophet Isaiah The reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me It had been more congruous to the context here for the Apostle to have said The reproaches of them that reproached God fell on him But as I have observed before the Apostle when he quotes any authority out of the Psalms or the Prophets or any other part of the Old Testament he quotes it for the most part as it lies there and leaves his Reader to apply it here Some ask the Question here why the Apostle brings this testimony here when he had more plain testimonies for his purpose as that of Isaiah Isa 53.4 He that hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows c. For answer to this I conceive that the Apostle made choice of this testimony here because it mentioneth reproaches expresly and reproaches were the chiefest fault which he had to complain of in the Romans which if they had patiently born at the hands of one another there had not been those contentions and discords among them as were For the weak judged the strong as a sinner in what he did and the strâ—ng could not bear his censure the strong despised the weak and vilified his weakness and the weak could not bear this and from hence and the like arose reproachful words and from thence discords and contentions among them Ver. 4 For whatsoever things were written c. Between this and the former verse understand these or the lâ—ke words Neither think that what I cite
them which made him to excuse himself here Ministring the Gospel of God Performing the holy function of a Priest about the Gospel of God The Apostle uses here a Metaphor taken from the Levitical Priests for this his performance consisted in preaching the Gospel not in any Priestly function or operation properly taken That the offering up of the Gentiles Better thus That the offering of the Gentiles i. e. That is that the Gentiles being converted to God by any ministery and so made as it were a Sacrifice or an offering to him might be c. Note that when he saith The offering the Apostle doth not mean any active offering up of the Gentiles whereby they offer up any thing themselves to God but a passive offering by which the Gentiles themselves were â—ffered up to God and were themselves as an offering and a Sacrifice Wherefore these words That the offering of the Gentiles are put for these That the Gentiles which are an offering as The Sign of Circumcision is put for Circumcision which is a Sign Chap. 4.11 The Apostle persists still in his Metaphor of a Priest and here he sheweth the end of his ministery why he was sent as a Minister to the Gentiles and why he did minister the Gospel unto them or among them It was that the offering of the Gentiles might be an offering acceptable unto God Might be acceptable i. e. Might be an acceptable offering or an acceptable sacrifice He persists still in the Metaphor of an offering or sacrifice and therefore he saith That it might be acceptable a word borrowed from the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Law See Chap. 12. ver 1 2. Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost i. e. Being adorned with faith peace and joy and other gifts of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is taken here by a Metonymie for the gifts of the Holy Ghost which gifts are conferred upon the faithful by the ministery of men set apart for Gods Service He saith Sanctified by the Holy Ghost because he persists still in the Metaphor of a Levitical sacrifice or Levitical offering which was wont to be sacrificed or consecrated and made acceptable to God by certain Ritâ—s and Ceremonies to which he compares or likens the Holy Ghost or the gifts of the Holy Ghost Some think that the Apostle in this his Metaphor alludes to the sacrifices of Beasts which were used in the Law for burnt-offerings as he alludes to them Chap. 12.1 Others think that he alludes not to the sacrifices of Beasts but to the meat-offerings of which we read Levit. 2. And that he alludes further in this to those words of the Prophet Isaiah Isa 66.20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon horses c. as the Children of Israel bring an offering in a clean Vessel into the house of the Lord. And that he in those words Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost alludeth particularly to the Salt which was used in the meat offerings For no meat offering was to be without Salt Levit. 2.13 And indeed the gifts of the Holy Ghost may be many ways resembled or likened unto salt It is easie to interpret the word either one way or other of these two by what I have said and I leave my Reader to his choice That which the Apostle speaks here in this verse under a metaphor being Strip'd of the metaphor is in plain terms this q. d. That I should be an Apostle of Jâ—sus Christ to the Gentiles preaching the Gospel unto them that they might be thereby enriched with the Holy Ghost and made pleasing and acceptable to God and such as he delights in Ver. 17. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God The Apostle prevents an objection here For whereas he said that Grace was given to him of God that he should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles c. A Roman might object and say But if it be so Paul that thou hast Grace given thee of God that thou shouldst be a Minister of God to the Gentiles why dost not thou make use of this Grace For thou never camest to us Romans who are Gentiles to minister the Gospel to us c. Thou lettest this Grace therefore to lie idle This objection the Apostle prevents saying I have therefore whereof I may glory c. The word Therefore is not an illative here but a continuative not signifying the Illation of any thing from that which went before but continuing only the Apostles speech and signifieth as much as And or Now or And now Whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord saith our Apostle 1 Cor. 1.19 Though therefore our Apostle glorieth here yet he transgresseth not his own rule but glories in the Lord Christ Jesus by attributing that of which he glories to him In those things which appertain to God i. e. In those things which concerns Gods Service Note here that as the Apostle described his Apostle-ship in the sixteenth verse in Metaphorical terms borrowed from the Levitical Priesthood calling it a Liturgy himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth he continue the same Metaphor here for it is said of the Levitical high Priest that he was ordained in things appertaining to God Heb. 5.1 Ver. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deed c. These words are obscure and Elliptical and put many to their Conjectures but my Conjecture is this that these words I will not dare to speak of any thing which Christ hath not wrought by me must be read with a Parenthesis and after them these or the like words are to be understood Christ hath wrought effectually by me So that the Sentence compleat and set in order is this For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me Christ hath wrought effectually by me both by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the spirit of God to make the Gentiles obedient to the Gospel To make the Gentiles obedient To wit to the Gospel that is to bring them to the faith or belief of the Gospel Obedience is sometimes taken for faith or belief see Chap. 1.5 These words I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me The Apostle speaks thus that they may not think that what he speaks he speaks out of vain-glory and that they may therefore give the word credit to what he speaks By word and deed These words are to be referred not to those which went immediately before to wit to those To make the gentiles obedient But to those which I said were left here to be understood to wit Christ hath wrought by me effectually